Home sweet home
by Pat83
Summary: Daryl comes back to the group. Trying to balance his brother's presence and his own mixed feelings, things are not as easy as he expected. Warning: 3x10 spoilers. Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead, they belong to Robert Kirkman and AMC. No copyright infringement is intended.
1. Home Sweet Home

The last walker was taken down. Rick nodded his silent thank you towards Daryl. He didn't have to speak, Daryl understood. Rick bent over and then fell to his knees. Daryl watched Rick with growing concern, finger on the trigger of his crossbow. His brother was standing right behind Rick and Daryl couldn't be sure what could come to Merle's head when he saw Rick so vulnerable. Rick looked as if he he hadn't been sleeping for days. His eyes were bloodshot, his skin was terribly pale under the layers of dirt and walkers' blood and his hair was falling into his face in greasy strands. But what made Daryl even more worried was the mental state he was in. He was kneeling on the ground and he was shaking, absent-minded look fixed in the distance. Daryl put his crossbow over his back, made a step towards Rick and helped him to his feet.

"What's wrong man?" Daryl didn't understand what the hell could have happened in these two days he was gone.

He heard Merle's laughter behind him: "You two real cuties together. Who would have guessed my lil'bro would fall in love with officer friendly!"

Daryl shot him an annoyed look and turned to Rick: "We need to clear the field. It's crammed with fuckin' walkers."  
Rick finally nodded, grasped the fence and looked over the field to the prison yard.

"Do ya' know if anybody…?" Daryl's voice trailed off.

Rick shook his head: "I don't know, everything happened so fast. Hershel was in the field, near the fence, I talked to him. Glen was gone and Carl was on watch. Axel and Carol stood in the yard. Then the heavy fire started and one son of a bitch got to the guard tower. Whole yard was opened to him…"

Daryl felt like somebody punched him in the stomach. He was late. He gripped the metal fence and tried to catch a glimpse of any movement in the yard. He saw nothing.

"Bro, the governor riddled your fucking lil' family with bullets. Stop starin', let's go inside, we can have a nap in that prison of yours."

Merle's grasping voice was getting under Rick's skin. He twitched and started to turn around but Daryl was faster. He turned on his heel and jabbed a finger into his brother's chest.

"Merle shut the fuck up or I swear I'll let them to beat shit out of ya and help them myself!"

Merle laughed at him: "And who exactly will beat the shit out me? Your cute lover over here or your walker friends if they were not lucky and didn't catch the bullet in their heads?"

Something in Daryl's face made Merle fall silent.


	2. Hope

"Rick, we gotta clear the field before it gets dark. Gotta get to the prison real fast, I am pretty sure…," that everybody is all right, Daryl wanted to add.

But he didn't finish his sentence, knowing it was rather a wish. Only women and one boy were left to defend the prison, surrounded by walkers and under heavy fire. Again he felt a twist in his stomach when Rick's words echoed in his head: "Axel and Carol stood in the yard."

They were the easiest target when it all started. Daryl couldn't loiter around any longer. He needed to find out who made it.

"Rick, we'll try to take out as many walkers as possible through the fence. Then we we'll go in and kill the rest." Rick nodded, took the knife from Daryl and then looked over his shoulder to Merle.

"Can we count on him with the walkers?"

Daryl was getting his crossbow ready and stopped to look at Merle.

"Yeah, my brother can be an asshole sometimes but knows he's gotta help if he doesn't wanna have picnic with walkers tonight."

He had no idea what would happen when Merle met the rest of the group but he had no time to think about it now. His fingers were itching and once again he looked towards the yard. Still he didn't see any movement.

They managed to take out more than a half of walkers through the fence. When they stepped into the field to finish the rest, it was already getting dark. Finally the field was cleared. Daryl helped Rick to secure the gate and they started running towards the prison, leaving Merle behind. Sweat was running into Daryl's eyes and he blinked wildly. He saw figures behind the fence. He was not able to recognize who it was but he heard a baby crying. Someone had made it. He saw Rick speeding up and did the same.


	3. Welcome back

Glen removed the chain with shaking hands. They were finally inside. Daryl stopped and didn't realize he's holding his breath while he was scanning the survivors. Maggie was supporting her father, who was exhausted after his narrow escape, and smiled at Daryl. Glen gaped at Daryl in disbelief and after a while his relieved laugh broke out. Rick took Carl, lifted him off the ground and kissed him on the head. Beth was holding Judith, who was roaring her lungs out. Beth was the first one to broke the tension. She took a step towards Daryl, got on her tiptoes and kissed Daryl on the cheek.

"Welcome back."

Daryl looked down at her in astonishment and felt the heat running into his cheeks. He grumbled and brushed his hand against his face. Beth was amused, she didn't expect anything else. She showed him Judith.

"Lil' Asskicker missed you too." Daryl carefully caressed baby's cheek and looked around. He couldn't see Carol and Alex.

'Carol and Axel stood in the courtyard when it all started,' Rick's words echoed in his ears again.

His throat went dry.

"Carol and Axel?" he didn't manage to say more.

Maggie bowed her head. Daryl didn't know what's happening to him but his head started spinning and his knees got weaker.

"Carol's OK but Alex is dead."

It took a while before Maggie's words started making sense to him.

"She's all right? And where the hell is she then?"

The world stopped spinning and suddenly the fear was taken over by anger. Why the hell she isn't with the rest of the group? They have barely survived a vicious attack and this crazy woman took a stroll all by herself! The thought was still going through his mind, when he suddenly saw her coming towards them. She held her head down but he could still saw smudged blood covering her neck and part of her face. When she spotted him, she stopped and looked at him in astonishment.

Before he managed to say anything, she took a few quick steps, stopped right in front of him and looked up. Daryl breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that the blood was not hers. She looked all right and uninjured. The blood on her face and neck must have been Axel's. He looked into her eyes and gulped. He saw mad anger and pain written all over her face and he didn't have a clue what to expect from Carol and such combination. What he surely didn't expect was a stinging pain after she slapped him hard with her right hand.

"Where the hell have you been?"

She didn't wait for an answer, turned on her heel and paced back into the prison. Daryl stroke his cheek for the second time within five minutes and shook his head in disbelief.

"Women," he grumbled.

Maggie wanted to comment to that but suddenly Merle appeared at the gate.

And the hell broke out.


	4. Losing a limb

It took Daryl a moment before he was able to react. Fortunately Rick seemed to be an old himself for now and his response was quicker. When Merle appeared at the gate, the first one to move was Glen. With a furious shout he threw himself directly on Merle. Glen's weight and small figure was no challenge for a man of Merle's build. Merle just lifted his metal hand cover and got ready to swing it. Maggie's high pitched scream recovered Daryl from a shock. Rick jumped at Merle and held his hand in the air. Merle was spitting out the insults but didn't attack again. Meanwhile Daryl grabbed Glen and torn him away from his brother. He was surprised how enraged and strong Glen suddenly appeared.

"Let me go Daryl! Get you fucking hands off me!" Glen was writhing so vigorously that Daryl had his hands full trying to prevent younger man to attack Merle again.

Suddenly Glen buried his elbow into Daryl's stomach with all his strength. Daryl cursed in pain and bent over, still holding Glen tightly. Glen again tried to wrench himself from Daryl's grasp and they both ended up on the dusty ground. It was soon clear who is more skillful fighter and Glen stood no chance against Daryl. Daryl stranded Glen under him and pressed his wrists into the ground.

"Calm down! This ain't leading anywhere!" Daryl shouted.

Glen's face was bright red and such hate burnt from his eyes that Daryl was taken aback for a second. If he ever hoped that the group could accept his brother, now he knew he was wrong.

"You don't know what he did! You have no freaking idea what he did to us! You were not there!" Glen was spitting the words into Daryl's face, "he almost beat me to the death, tied me to the fucking chair and then let the walker in! He would had let me being eaten alive Jesus Christ!"

Daryl felt he was willingly losing the grip on Glen's wrists. He looked over his shoulder and saw his brother grinning at the scene.

"And Maggie..," Glen's voice broke, "he left her with that son of a bitch and he knew what he was about to do to her! He almost raped her. Raped her, do you listen to me? He threatened her if she didn't do as asked he would cut my hand off! Then he wanted to execute us in a cold blood! He's the same twisted fucker as the Governor and I'm gonna kill him!"

Daryl felt nauseous. He let Glen go, got up and picked his crossbow from the ground. Glen scrambled to his feet and leaned on the wall, totally exhausted. The grin on Merle's face was still there. Daryl wordlessly aimed the crossbow right at his head. Merle's face hardened and Daryl saw the same flash of anger and nervousness running across his face as he did when he'd aimed the crossbow at his brother for the first time this morning.

"Is he right?" Daryl's voice was no more than a whisper but when Merle didn't seem to answer, he shouted the question right into his face. His older brother shrugged his shoulders.

"Man's gotta do what he's gotta do..."

Daryl felt his stomach turn again. He knew these words well. It accompanied every blow and kick their father delivered either to them or their mother, when she was still alive. Daryl spat on the ground but kept aiming on Merle's head. He was aware of a tense silence surrounding them. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Rick ready to give him a hand if anything went wrong.

"You ain't goin' inside with us," Daryl's voice was icy and emotionless, "you gonna stay here unless the group decides what to do with ya."

Merle cackled: "Ya are doin' a huge mistake lil' bro and it will cost you yer soft ass pretty soon. Do you really think I'm gonna stick around until that bunch of pansy-asses decide?"

Daryl didn't say the words aloud but Merle knew what he was thinking. He made a rapid movement towards his brother but Daryl didn't move.

Merle's face hardened: "How you dare to send me to death ya little ungrateful bastard? How many times did I save your ass by just being' there and gettin' it instead of ya?"

Soon both brothers were shouting at each other.

"And how many times ya weren't there and I pleaded ya to take me with you? I was eight when ya left me with him alone for fucks' sake!"

Daryl's vice was higher than usual. Rick lowered his head and Beth gasped for breath. Judith started crying again. Daryl quickly realized that everybody was listening to them and he felt his cheeks turning red again.

He frowned and lowered his voice: "It's all gone. I owe you nothing."

With these words he turned his back to Merle and started walking towards the prison. Home. He wanted to get rid of the looks and questions he knew would come.

He knew Merle would attack. He knew his brother inside out and he knew that he was the most dangerous when there's nothing to lose. The group followed Daryl into the prison.

He heard him, felt him. Daryl turned just before Rick's warning shout. Merle's face was contorted with anger but he stopped a feet away from Daryl's aimed crossbow.

"If ya try something, I'll kill ya myself," Daryl's face was motionless.

Merle spat into his face.

"Have a nice slow death lil' brother. That's what's waiting' for ya anyway." With these words Merle turned to the gate and walked away.

Daryl wiped his face, put the crossbow over his shoulder and turned back to the prison. It was over. He awaited a relief, the feeling of satisfaction, anything else but what he actually felt. A dull pain that started to creep all over his body. He felt like it was him who had lost a limb.

He was finally alone. He knew he would have to take a part in the group's life very soon. With Rick wondering in his own Lori world, Glen still being injured and exhausted, Alex dead and with one-legged old Hershel, he didn't have much choice. But not tonight. All he wanted tonight was to take a nap in a real bed and wake up with the clear head in he morning. He was standing under the shower, washing his hair with the soap he'd found there. The scent was a bit too sweet for his taste but he would take everything to get rid of the dirt and walkers' smell.

It seemed that the group respected his mood for once. When he came back to the cells, the chattering went silent and he felt their stealthy glances. Maggie handed him the bowl full of stew. He gratefully accepted it and disappeared into his cell. Everything was as he'd left it there. Apart from one thing – the cell was tidied up and organized. The blanket was folded up at the the bottom of the bed, the pile of washed clothes was neatly placed in the middle of his bed and his spare arrows were laying on the table. He almost smiled. He knew exactly who had done this. He finished his meal and lied down on the bed. He was afraid he would have troubles falling asleep after all that had happened today but as soon as his head touched the pillow, he was lost.


	5. Night talks

Daryl woke up with a jerk and sat up. He put his face into his hands. His brother might have not been with them in the real life anymore but he was chasing him in his dreams.

"Nightmares?" sudden soft voice from the dark opposite corner of his cell made him jump.

"For gods' sake woman, what are you doin' there?"

"You were having nightmares," repeated Carol simply.

"It ain't your damn business. Get me a damn dream catcher, will scare me less."

He didn't want to be rude, especially not to Carol. But today's events left him confused and tired and he wasn't sure of anything at the moment. He needed time to figure things out and she was not giving him that space.

"Should I leave?" she wasn't offended but he heard a tension in her voice.

"Yeah, leave me be," he replied grumpily.

Carol didn't need to be asked twice. She quickly walked past him and was almost out of the cell when Daryl's voice stopped her.

"I'm sorry…wait."

She stopped, looked at him and said nothing. He damned her for making him express everything all the time. He wasn't good with words but she kept pushing him. She knew he didn't want her to leave but still made him say that.

"Don't go…"

He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and moved so she could sit down next to him. She did, put her hands in her lap and fixed her look on them.

"I am glad you came back," Carol said quietly.

"Is this why you punched me?" Daryl couldn't help himself and chuckled.

"I punched you because you deserved that. You shouldn't have left, first of all. I mean...I understand why you did it, but it didn't help me to feel better... You shouldn't have left without saying anything. If you had been here, Axel could have lived."

Daryl's forehead wrinkled: "I just didn't know…Merle's my brother…"

Carol interrupted him: "I stood so close to him…Our shoulders were almost touching when he got shot right into his face. It could have been me."

Daryl kept quiet. His stomach was squirming again. Unwillingly, the scenes from Carol's story started projecting in front of his eyes. It had been so close. It could have been her they had been burying today. He wouldn't have forgiven himself. He hadn't found Sophia and losing her mother as well would have been too much. Carol was the only person who hadn't written him off, no matter how mean he was or how idiotically be behaved. If there was anybody he wouldn't want to disappoint, it was Carol.

But she survived and was sitting next to him, safe and sound. He wanted to tell her she was one of the main reasons why he'd come back and that it'd been her who made him believe that he belonged here. He wanted to tell her that he'd been thinking of her when he'd been out there with Merle. And most of all he wanted to tell her that sometimes he didn't know what to do and his life was not as clear and simple as it had always been. But all he managed was to keep quiet and listen to her horrible experience.

"We somehow became closer in those two days. Alex was not such a jerk as he seemed at the beginning. He could be funny and he made me laugh. He even complimented me," Carol smiled at that memory. Daryl felt a strange feeling of dissatisfaction rolling over him.

"I've been away for two days and you suddenly become the best friend with a guy you hardly know for two weeks?" he didn't want to snarl at her but couldn't help it.

Surprised, she looked at him but then suddenly a small smile formed in the corner of her lips and she lowered her eyes again. Daryl would kick his own ass if he could. What was that? What kind of freaking jealousy scene he had just displayed? Why did he mind that Alex was treating Carol better than he had been ever able to do? Dixon is never jealous! Damn it, he was not even sure what this word means. He had never been jealous. He had never minded kids from the neighbourhood having better toys than him. He had never been jealous of the guys his mother was bringing home. He hadn't been even jealous when Merle stole every girl he'd ever dared to bring home. That was the way it worked. Every girl was after well-built and brash Merle, who had gone into the fight with anybody he pleased. There hadn't been much left for his snotty little brother. Daryl had learnt to accept this as an inevitable fact of life. So why now?


	6. Night talks 2

He jumped to his feet and started pacing around the tiny space of his cell. On one hand, he wanted to throw her out, but on the other, her presence was calming him down. Merle, the attack on the prison, Rick and his delirious states, responsibility he felt for the group and on top of that his own feelings he couldn't quite comprehend, were too much even for Daryl.

Carol saw his discomfort and tried to change the topic.

"I heard what happened with Merle outside."

Daryl's worn-out expression deepened and Carol wryly congratulated herself for being so clever and thoughtful. Daryl sighed and sat down next to her again.

"I gotta to do it," he rubbed his eyes, "Merle can be really dangerous. I wanted the group to accept him first but then Glen told me what he did to him and Maggie...When I turned to him, he's just standin' there, grinnin' like an idiot as if it was a great fun."

Carol felt tears stinging in her eyes. Dixon doesn't cry but she does. She stroked his arm without thinking. He didn't flinch, lost in his thoughts. It encouraged her and she gently squeezed his hand. He realized that she was touching him and looked at their joined hands. Then he looked into her face but still didn't flinch away, thinking. Daryl Dixon truly reminded her of a wild animal sometimes. He was able to attack, kill within a blink of an eye, but didn't let anybody get close to him, afraid that somebody could hurt him more than he could hurt them. Carol knew him better than the rest of the of group and she felt that for some strange and unknown reason, he also trusted her and talked to her more than he did with the others.

They became close during those days on the farm, when they were looking for Sophia. At the very beginning, still in the camp, she had seen her violent husband Ed in Daryl. Daryl seemed ill-mannered, rude and dangerous. It didn't take long before she realized that all these attributes exactly fits to his older brother Merle and Daryl simly followed his lead. He listened to him and looked up to him as well as she looked up to Ed, although he was beating her regularly and always knew where to hit so the bruise wasn't visible.

Walkers solved the situation for Carol but Daryl had to solve the situation with Merle himself. Carol well understood the emptiness that was eating him up at the moment. When Sophia got lost and Carol saw her walking out of the barn as walker, what followed after the first shock was a deafening emptiness. When she had gotten over the worst bit, it was Daryl's presence she seeked instinctively. He didn't pity or patronize her and most of the time they spent on watch together, they kept silent. But that silence wasn't uncomfortable, she knew he was there if she needed, and it was exactly what she needed back then.

When she was lost in her memories, waiting for Daryl to continue, she realized how much they really had in common. They were both dominated, they had to quickly learn to take over the responsibility for themselves when they'd lost their relatives. Even pain was familiar to both of them. She stole a quick glance at the end of the old white scar on Daryl's back, whose end was peepeing out from his sleeveless shirt. She felt fresh tears in her eyes but she didn't want Daryl to see them. She'd noticed before that he was ashamed of his scars. He never changed the shirt when somebody was around.

She admired the man he had become. From younger brother of a violent redneck, he had turned into the man the whole group relied on. The man who managed to feed them and protect them. He saved her life more times than she could actually count. It was Daryl, who came back for her, when the group left her behind in chaos caused by a huge herd of walkers overunning the farm. And it was again Daryl, who kept looking and finally found her in one of the abandoned cells, when the walkers attacked the prison and killed T-Dog.

Daryl might have been fierce-tempered, but even though she knew how to push his buttons and she made him mad an immense number of times, he'd never hurt her and always calmed down quickly, when he spotted a tension in her eyes. He was loyal and although some started to think Rick is not able to lead the group anymore, it was Daryl who always supported him. Daryl wouldn't stand anybody telling him that, but he was good with kids. Carl kept pleading Daryl to teach him to fire the crossbow. And it was again Daryl who got the formula, when Judith was born. It saved her life and Carol would never forget the shocked faces, when dirty and tired Daryl was feeding and crooning to the newborn baby in his arms, calling her Lil' Asskicker. Daryl Dixon was a man of many faces and Carol must have admitted to her that she hadn't found any she wouldn't have liked so far.

She felt her cheeks turning red, thinking of him like that. He caught her starring at him.

"What?" he grumbled.

"Nothing, I just...," she was trying to come up with a reasonable excuse, why she wasn't listening to anything he said in the past minute or so.

"I said it ain't sure Merle really left...he still can be around. We gotta be careful, he could decide to take revenge. We musn't go anywhere alone. You especially, OK?"

"Why me especially? I am perfectly capable of..."

Daryl groaned: "Damn, woman, just promise me you won't be wandering around all by yourself. Period. I ain't able to look out for each one of you at the same time. Now when Rick is...when Rick needs time...and with Merle outside, it will be difficult."

She finally saw the huge responsibility lying on his shoulders.

"Daryl, I don't want you to think you need to save us all. We will make it as a group. We always have, this time it's no different." All of a sudden she gripped him by his shoulders and shook him gently to make him look into her face.

"And you did the right thing with Merle."

She saw the uncetainity in his eyes.

"Yeah, I brought him here, really good move."

She shook her head in disagreement: "You showed him that you are not little brother anymore, who listened every single word he said. You've got your own family now, who likes you and needs you. This is where you belong."

He wasn't looking at her but she knew he was listening carefully. He felt an urge to hug him but this was Daryl Dixon. She pulled away and got up.

"I'd better go to bed, otherwise I'll be useless tomorow. Good night Daryl."

She was almost out of his cell, when Daryl finally lifted his head.

"Carol, can I make you laugh?"


	7. Blood

Hi guys! Thank you all so much for your reviews! As this is my first fanfic ever, your reviews are great encouragement to keep writing! I hope I won't disappoint you and enjoy the following chapters!

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Daryl was woken up by angry voices. He shot up from the bed, surprised he'd slept for so long. He ran out of his cell, impatient to find out what happened. Glen was shouting at Rick, who was rubbing his temples with tired expression on his face. Maggie was standing next to Glen, waiting for her chance to get involved in the argument. Carl was shielding Beth and watched his father with growing concern. Carol was holding Judith and Hershel was just coming from the shower block.

"What the hell is going' on?" Daryl's voice finally silenced Glen who turned from Rick to him.

Glen's face was bright red.

"You brother is still out there, this is what the hell is happening!" he furiously waved his hand towards the entrance, "he's waiting there and doesn't want to leave!"

Daryl hardly ever showed any emotions apart from anger but this time his eyes grew wide as he stared at Glen: "What?"

He was absolutely certain Merle had left the prison immediately after their fight. Daryl's dull answer enraged Glen even more. He ran into the cell they used was storing their weapons and came out with a shotgun.

"I'm going to kill him, he's not going to be here with us. It's either me or him."

Daryl saw Carol covering her mouth in shock. Hershel shouted at Glen. Daryl didn't have time to think. In one swift moment he crashed Glen against the wall and knocked the shotgun out of his hand.

"You ain't killing nobody," Daryl shouted into his face.

He picked up the gun from the floor and handed it over to Rick.

"I'm goin' out myself and will talk to Merle."

Rick nodded and took the gun: "Will you need…?"

Daryl shook his head: "If Merle stayed here, he's not gonna cause troubles."

Daryl felt his legs are heavier and heavier by every step he took as he was walking to the door. He knew how to deal with furious Merle. He knew how to deal with aggressive, abusive and patronizing Merle. But he had not freaking idea how he would deal with begging Merle, who will never be accepted by the rest of the group. He didn't want to leave with him again. But he didn't want to throw him to the walkers or Governor either.

When he opened the door, he was blinded by the sun. Again he wondered how long he'd slept. The summer was coming, the days were getting longer and warmer. Merle was leaning against the wall of one of the cell blocks. When he saw Daryl, he smiled.

"Finally awake lil'bro! You've got used to the soft bed really quick!" Merle's words were not offensive.

"What are you doing' here?" Daryl growled. He had his crossbow on his back.

"Aren't you glad you see your big brother pal?" Merle laughed.

"What I am doin' here? Merle grinned, "tryin' to survive, this is exactly what I'm doin' here brother."

Merle looked at his brother sharply: "Ya need me and you know it. With your African stunner gone ya stand no chance against the Governor."

Daryl didn't want to think about it.

"Michonne left when she saw you coming. Otherwise you would be sliced up by now."

Merle cackled: "Doesn't matter. She's gone. Who will fight? You, lunatic officer friendly, angry Chinaman, young boy, old man with no leg and bunch of women?"

Merle's voice was mocking when he was calculating their chances. Daryl's face clouded over. He knew Merle was right.

"The group will never accept you," he tried unconvincingly.

"It's not 'bout they accept me or not. They need me. We'll probably all die anyway, but if you wanna at least try to defend this prison, ya need me."

Daryl remained silent.

"Bro, what if I promise I'll behave myself? No one's gonna complain. I'll even apologize to Chinaman if he stops throwing these death glares all the time."

"He's Korean! Can't you at least remember that for fuck's sake?"

Daryl was desperate. This decision was tearing him apart. The group would never accept Merle after what he'd done. But Merle was right – if they want to have at least a chance against the Governor, they desperately need Merle' s strength and knowledge. No matter what kind of prick his brother was, it was still his brother, his only living kin. Daryl couldn't forget the times Merle had left him at home alone. But he also couldn't forget the times Merle stood up for him, when his father was half insane after their mother's death and younger and weaker Daryl was a perfect target.

Merle felt sensed Daryl's mood.

"Bro', I admit I have done things I am not proud of. I was carrying out the orders. But I can help you. And I will if you let me. No one knows this bastard better than me."

Daryl sighed. There was no right decision that would suit everyone. There's has been only the will to survive. And if they want a chance to survive, Merle has to be a part of that plan.

"I will talk to the group." Daryl turned and walked back to the prison.

The wide smile spread across his brother's face. He knew Daryl too well.


	8. Slipping away

When Daryl opened the door, everyone tuned to him immediately. He didn't have a chance to say a word before Glen jumped up again.

"I told you! I told you he would ask to take him in!"

"Glen, let Daryl speak!" Hershel snapped. He started to lose patience with younger man.

Daryl sat on the stairs and started playing with his crossbow.

"Glen's right. Merle wanna be a part of the group," he was searching for words, "he knows that he'd crossed the line and he'll apologize and will behave himself. But the truth is, he knows the Governor and we'll need help. We won't even stand a chance if we stay like this."

For taciturn Daryl was this long sentence a heroic performance and he felt exhausted. He finally lifted his head and looked at others with anticipation. He was met with Glen's fuming face and the wall of silence.

Daryl looked directly at Glen.

"Glen look, I know what he's done and I know it's unforgivable. But we are not in position to turn him down. I'll keep my eye on him. Merle will be my responsibility."

Glen exploded.

"Unforgivable? You bet it is! How would you like living next to the guy who would let some sick bastard almost rape Carol and then wanted to execute you in a cold blood?"

Daryl's blood started boiling: "Why the hell are you draggin' Carol into this shit? She ain't nothing to do with this! Don't ya get it we don't have a chance with few people we've got here? If that fuckin' prick takes five armed guys we'll be dead in half a hour!"

Daryl and Glen were already shouting at each other.

"Daryl's right," clear voice cut through the argument as a knife and the whole group turned to Carol in surprise.

"Daryl's right," she repeated firmly, ignoring Glen's remark that so easily put down the wall of Daryl's strenuously built composure.

"We all know it will be difficult with Merle and if it doesn't work we can always try to solve it later. But right now we have no choice and have to accept his offer and take him in. No matter if we stay in the prison or run, we will need every little help we can. If Daryl says he can handle him, let him do it."

Next three days were hell. Merle was indeed on his best behavior, however even his presence seemed to linger on the group as a dark cloud. But it was Daryl, not Merle, Carol worried about. Merle moved into Daryl's cell so she couldn't come and talk to him anytime she wanted as before. Daryl didn't come either.

Even if she didn't want to admit it to herself, she missed their closeness. She missed him grumpy face and funny comments he was scattering around without intention to be funny. She missed the way he always kept his eye on her even if he thought she didn't know. Since Merle darkened their door, Daryl retreated into his shell. He kept his crossbow with him all the time and never left Merle's side. He tried to isolate Merle from the group as much as possible. They went hunting almost every day and Daryl suddenly found plenty of work that needed to be done outside. By all this effort Daryl was isolating himself together with Merle.

Carol knew that Daryl feels the tension Merle's arrival caused. Even if it is was the group's decision that Merle's presence is inevitable, she knew he was blaming himself for bringing him here and making them decide. Carol was afraid that Merle would draw Daryl back to become the inaccessible and hard man he used to be in the camp. This thought was tearing her apart.

It was ironic that it was older of Dixon brothers who started paying her more attention. It didn't take long before Merle realized that Carol was the only one near his age who wasn't involved with anybody.

It was on the second day when Merle took advantage of Daryl not being able to think of another job to do for a while and he joined Carol while she was sorting the washing.

"You never seem to rest, do ya?"

Carol just raised her eyebrow and gave him a quick look. She was relieved to spot Merle's shadow with a crossbow over his shoulder, who just appeared around the corner.

"Somebody has to do it."

No matter how much she didn't like older Dixon and blamed him for not being able to spend the time with Daryl, she didn't want to add fuel to the flame.

"I hardly remember you from the camp," Merle's voice was curious but Carol instinctively heard the undertone she didn't like at all. It was the same undertone Ed used when he was looking for her weakness just before he was about to attack.

"I surely do remember you," she replied.

Merle seemed to be pleased by her answer.

"It was not a compliment," she added dryly.

She didn't miss Daryl's little smile behind Merle's back. She looked at him but he was already starring at his feet again. She saddened.

"You had a husband and a kid. Little girl, right?" Merle's voice roused her from her thoughts again.

She stopped her work, straighten up and looked directly into Merle's eyes.

"I did. They're gone."

For a moment, Daryl forgot to watch himself and looked at her with admiration. Her tiny figure looked almost ridiculous compared to Merle's and still she was able to tell him anything right into his face and make a fool of himself on top of that. Her and Hershel were the only ones trying to at least communicate with Merle. The rest of the group was simply ignoring him and Glen was planning a murder as Daryl suspected him.

Daryl sighed. Last three days with Merle had been hell. He promised to watch him and he stood up to that but it was exhausting to watch his every step. He had a feeling that Glen hated him almost as much as he hated Merle. By watching Merle he wasn't spending any time with the group. He would have never thought he would miss something like that, but he honestly did.

He gave Carol another sidelong glance. She was still talking to Merle politely. He had been fighting against this feeling for past three days but he had to give up and admit what he missed the most. He was watching his brother chatting to Carol, trying to impress her and his blood was boiling. He had no claim over her and there had been times when he was behaving like a piece of shit to her and the end he abandoned her and the whole group. Countless times he'd tried to convince himself he needs nobody and nothing and there were times he really believed it. And still, just a thought of another man by Carol's side drove him insane. It was his place. It was him she smiled at, and him she was worried about. Even if it meant a punch in the face. He was denying this to himself for past three days because of Merle and he felt like junkie longing for his dose. He cursed her for doing it to him, for taking away his independence . But when he was with her all his fears just vanished.

"What happened to your lil' girl?" Out of all Merle's stupid questions getting on his nerve, this one was the worst. He noticed Carol tensed.

"Cut the crap Merle. We gotta check the fence."

Irritated, Merle turned to him: "We've checked that fuckin' fence twice already today!"

"If you wanna stay here, you'll have to put up with that," Daryl's tone didn't allow any objections. Merle hesitantly turned to Carol then to Daryl and finally walked off cursing under his breath.


	9. Like I care

Next day was so beautiful that nobody could stand staying in the prison. They made sure that the buildings were shielding them and they were enjoying the sun. It was as close to the normal living as they could get. Glen and Maggie were in the guard tower, Beth was talking to her father and Rick was teaching Carl how to clean the gun. Carol was sitting in the grass, holding sleeping Judith.

She caught a glimpse of Merle, who was checking the fencing with a bored expression on his face. Daryl was nowhere near him. Carol's stomach knotted in fear. These two were inseparable.

She knew she would have to talk to Daryl. She had a plan she had been thinking over and over for couple of days now. She was certain Daryl would turn it down but she wanted him to now before she would reveal it to the rest of the group. It could help the group and nothing was more important than their little community.

Somebody squeezed her shoulder gently and suddenly Daryl was standing next to her. She yelped.

"Payback's a bitch," he grinned at her reminding her how she scared him by sitting in his dark cell, when he woke the first night after his return.

She smiled and shook her head: "Daryl Dixon, if you wake this baby, you're going to take care of her until she's fast asleep again!"

Daryl sat down next to Carol and carefully stroke Judith's dark hair.

"Lil' Asskicker and I have a special bond, she would be fast asleep in a crack," he smiled.

Carol didn't comment on that not to embarrass him but he probably didn't know how close to the truth he was. Judith always calmed down in his arms. There were nights when she spent hours walking with fussy crying baby and she was tempted to wake Daryl up and ask him to soothe her. But the idea of sleepy grumpy Daryl, who doesn't sleep more than couple of hours, always stopped her. He needed more sleep then she did.

Daryl was starring in front of him and tried to think how to start the conversation. He had so much he wanted to say but the words seemed to betray him as always.

Carol looked relaxed and was enjoying Daryl's presence. She really didn't want to ruin this precious moment by suggesting her plan but she knew she had no choice. She didn't know when she would have a chance to talk to Daryl alone again.

"I'm glad you noticed there are other people than Merle," she smiled at him.

He frowned: "I said I will watch him."

"It's not watching, he's basically grounded."

"What do ya people want? Either I don't watch him enough or I watch too much, but it's never all right with you," he snapped.

He realized immediately that he vented his anger on Carol again. He really was a hopeless idiot.

"Sorry," he mumbled sheepishly.

She shook her head: "It's me who should apologize. I know you have been under lot of pressure lately. But stop blaming yourself for everything. Merle's here because the group decided so."

"I guess only ya and Hershel got it."

Carol sighed and touched his arm lightly. She was not even aware she was doing it but it immediately sent shivers down the Daryl's spine.

Carol nodded to the Merle at the fence.

"Things are not going to get better if you are going to isolate him like this and follow his every step. You need to let him act on his own."

Daryl raised his eyebrows: "So you say I should let him kill Glen, try to kill Rick and let him jump at you?"

With his last words he kicked a piece turf in front of him.

Carol ignored him: "You said he was not going to cause troubles because he wanted to stay."

"You never know what's going on in Merle's head," admitted Daryl unhappily.

"I've got a plan," Carol's voice was firm.

Daryl groaned and covered his face. She smiled and poked his ribs, careful not to wake the baby.

She took a deep breath: "I'm going to run to town for supplies with Merle."

Daryl starred at her in shock.

"Forget it," he said sternly and started to get up.

"Don't you dare to walk out on me when I'm talking to you Daryl!" Carol raised her voice but quickly remembered she was holding Judith.

Daryl once again couldn't comprehend the strength she seemed to gather during the months after Sophia death. He shifted his weight indecisively and sat down again.

But before she could speak again, Daryl exploded. Judith started fussing in Carol's arms and Daryl quickly started whispering. It didn't make his words less angry.

"Have ya gone mad woman? Ya think I am watchin' Merle because I have nothing better to do? You have no fuckin' idea what to expect from him!"

Daryl's face was red and Carol saw he was struggling with himself not to grab her and shake her tiny form.

"And ya are not ready to go into the town with all these walkers 'round! It's damn dangerous for more skilled people than ya!"

"But you trained me…," Carol's voice was still unshaken, it was going as bad as she expected.

Daryl couldn't stand it anymore and jumped to his feet again.

"I've trained ya for self-defense, nothing else! What are you gonna do when ya find yourself surrounded by walkers? Shout for me?"

OK, that hurt. Daryl could see that by the way the muscle in her cheek twitched but he didn't care right now. He would do or say anything to stop her from going.

"You ain't ready. You ain't goin'!"

She didn't like sitting when he was standing above her. It made her feel weaker. She stood up with Judith still in her arms and looked straight into his face. She was trying hard to play it as calmly as possible but Daryl was not making it any easier.

"You need to let him do something beneficial for the group. You need to let him decide for himself. It's the only way how we can slowly start to trust him. How long do you think you can follow him for? Sooner or later one of you will loose his temper anyway! On top of that it will be an ordinary run. You do the run every other week!"

No matter what she said, Daryl's expression was absolutely dissenting.

"Ya ain't goin'. I'll go with Merle myself."

Carol sighed: "Have you listened to anything I just said? You need let Merle off of the lead! On top of that we need plenty of women stuff - tampons, underwear, cosmetics, cleaning stuff...are you any good at this?"

"Maggie can go, she always gets this type of shit."

"Merle and Maggie? Good match. She's the only reason why Glen's holding back but when she's alone with Merle, don't you think she'd try to solve it once and for all?"

Carol wouldn't say it was possible but Daryl's face clouded even more.

"I don't give a fuck. You ain't going'."

That was it for Carol's patience. She took another step to Daryl. This time her voice turned into angry whispering.

"I'm not taking orders from you Daryl Dixon! You are not my boss or my bloody husband! It could weld the group together again. If it does, it's worth the risk. And we need the supplies. I've already talked to Rick and he doesn't think it's such a bad idea. He's coming with us."

Daryl desperately wanted to hit something or someone. The rage was pulsing in every fiber of his body and he had no idea how long he would be able to control himself.

"Great, so you have already organized everything. Why the hell did you care to tell me then?"

Carol lowered her voice: "I wanted you to understand and support this decision. I guess I was wrong."

Daryl stared at her in disbelief. Did she really think he would support her insane idea of walking into the town flooded with walkers, side by side with his unpredictable brother?

"You were fuckin' wrong. If you wanna kill yourself, there are easier ways to do that. Don't have to take car and two other people with ya."

His word were hurting her. He didn't see she was doing it for the group, for him. So he could be that old Daryl they all knew and whom she didn't want to lose.

But this discussion was leading nowhere.

"I just wanted to let you know. I'll be all right. I am going. Put up with it," she sighed and turned to go back into the prison.

Daryl couldn't stand the whispering anymore and finally shouted.

"Ya know what? Whatever! Just go and get yourself killed! But when things fuck up, don't expect me to run after you. I'm done with all that! Ya people never listen to what I say anyway!"

His voice was icy and with these word he stormed off, accompanied by Judith's crying.

Carol blinked back the tears. OK, it went worse than she expected. But she'd made a decision and already got the Rick's approval and support. She felt it was worth the risk.

Nobody saw Daryl for the rest of the afternoon. No matter how furious he was, he didn't forget to take Merle with him. When they came back from the woods, Daryl still looked so enraged that nobody dared to talk to him.

On the contrary, Merle was as happy as he could get. The idea of getting out of prison without Daryl chasing after him was absolutely irresistible.

When the morning came, the three of them were getting ready. Carol must have admitted herself that she was a bit nervous. But she would be with Rick and she believed he would look after her if something went wrong.

She didn't see Daryl anywhere around and it made her sad. She wanted to see him and again reassure him she would be all right.

She was just checking the blade of her knife when he appeared behind her all of a sudden.

"Show me your pistol," he asked. His voice and face emotionless.

Oh yeah, he was still pissed as hell but at least he was there. She'd learnt to appreciate small things and this was one of them.

He checked the gun quickly and handed it back to her.

"You've got just one?" he asked, not looking into her face even once.

She nodded.

He reached for the gun behind his belt and gave it to her.

"I'll look like Lara Croft," she tried to lighten up the situation.

"Your tits are too small for that."

He left her there with her mouth hanging open.

I swear you're going to pay for this one Dixon, she promised herself.

Rick was watching their exchange. When Daryl was passing him, he stopped him.

"I'll look after her, you don't have to worry."

Daryl snorted and pulled his arm from Rick's grip: "Like I care."

They all went to see them off. Daryl was the last one. He was watching their car in the distance when everybody else had left.

He'd been a hunter his entire life and his instincts never failed him. He felt something was terribly wrong.


	10. Plan

The scenery was quickly passing by behind the window. Rick was driving, Merle had taken the passenger seat and Carol was sitting in the back.

Dozens of emotions and thoughts were running through Carlos's head. She was nervous; there was no point in denying it. She truly hoped that this run would show Merle in better light and the group would start treating him differently. The current situation was unsustainable and the atmosphere of distrust and nonstop tension was slowly killing the group from within. She was hurt by Daryl's words and attitude towards her plan and by his doubts about her abilities. She sighed and focused on the scenery outside.

Merle was in excellent mood. He finally managed to get out of the bloody prison. Carol unknowingly gave him a unique opportunity he was so desperately waiting for.

No one believed in the survival of the fittest more strongly than Merle Dixon. No matter what was happening, no matter what shitty state the world was in, he was going to make it. But he felt vulnerable with that bunch of pussies his brother decided to join. They were ridiculously weak, waiting for an execution like the pigs in the pigpen.

Merle scowled. He kept questioning his brother's reasons to come back to the group but Daryl really never told him much. He grunted in disgust. He had always known about his brother's soft side. Daryl had been tougher than most of the folks in their old neighborhood, it was not a question. Merle had made sure that he'd prepared his baby brother well for the shit waiting for him. But still, there had been a side of Daryl that had driven him mad. He hadn't stood up against their father as often as Merle had. He had liked to hang out with the kids from the neighborhood everytime he'd thought Merle hadn't known. And he had been shattered when the useless bitch, who had called herself their mother, had burnt to death.

After all the time he'd spent and all those beatings he'd given to Daryl, trying to teach him they needed no one but themselves, Daryl had chosen the weak group before his brother. Merle was having hard time to forgive him, but he had saved his sorry ass many times before and would do it again. After all, he was the only member of his shitty family worth any attention.

Merle's plan was fairly simple. There was no need to be a genius when you had to deal with the group of women, children and unstable leader. Once Rick was out of the way, and this unexpected trip to town provided an exceptional opportunity for an unfortunate accident, the group will be broken. It would leave him just with Glen and old man.

Merle was not quite sure what he should do with Hershel. He quite liked the old man but he doubted he could trust him after he would kill his daughter's boyfriend. Also, the women and the sheriff's boy were a question. He couldn't afford to be surrounded by anyone he wouldn't trust. Maybe he could leave the guys from Woodbury to take care of them.

Merle wasn't naive to hope he could kill the Governor right in Woodbury, where he was guarded day and night by his henchmen.

But Merle knew his way around Woodbury and was sure there were folks who would follow him into the prison. They were guys, who didn't believe that the Governor was good and capable leader, and who were disgusted by his sick hobby. Such desertion would infuriate the Governor and lure him out of the prison again. Then, with several capable guys and in charge of prison, they could finally try to kill the bastard.

Merle didn't question his brother's loyalty. He might be uneasy about his "friends" being killed but Merle would make sure he wouldn't find out until everything was over. Daryl would find the right way sooner or later. His soft side involved Merle as he proved by letting him join the group.


	11. Crossroad

The town was two hours away from the prison. They didn't talk for the first hour and Merle was bored.

He turned and looked at the Carol in the back seat.

"Been to this town before?"

Carol was actually grateful for anything that would keep her distracted so she picked up the topic.

"Nope, Maggie is the only woman doing the runs with men. And Michonne, but she didn't stay long with us."

Carol was not able to push back the irritated tone. They'd lost a strong member because of Merle. Michonne had been new to the group but Carol had felt she could have stayed with them.

"Is Maggie that good with walkers?" Merle was curious, the more information he could get, the better.

Carol shrugged her shoulders: "I suppose she is. And she's got Glenn to cover her back."

"Who covers your back?"

Carol flinched at his question. She'd have replied Daryl just a few hours ago, but she wasn't so sure anymore. Rick felt her uneasiness and stepped into the conversation.

"We all do Merle. We all care and protect each other in our group."

Merle smiled at Carol.

"I can cover your back anytime you'd like lady. You'd be surprised what big Merle's got to offer."

"I can imagine," Carol deadpanned.

Merle wouldn't leave the topic. It was some time since he'd had a woman and Carol didn't seem to be a bad choice. She looked weak and fragile at first but appeared much stronger when you got to know her better.

"How come such a pretty lady doesn't have anybody to look after her? You wouldn't stay alone for more than an hour in Woodbury."

Carol was looking for some witty and definite answer when Rick groaned.

"Merle just shut up. You're not the Dixon Carol is interested in, all right? Just drop it."

Rick's comment caught her off the guard and Merle looked shocked as well.

Merle looked at Rick and then back to Carol. Carol and Daryl? Was it possible? Daryl spent all his time watching Merle so he couldn't really tell. The last time he'd seen those two together was just before they'd left and they had been yelling at each other. And Daryl didn't tell him anything either. Could this woman be a reason why he'd wanted to come back to prison?

Merle frowned. If Rick was right, it would complicate his plan. His baby brother was sensitive about things he considered his. And he wasn't sure Carol would play along his plan either.

Carol's head was spinning. Is she really so obvious with her feelings? Daryl would hate if Rick mentioned this in front of him. And considering how pissed Daryl was right now, it could destroy everything they had built strenuously and what she was trying so hard to preserve.

She noticed Merle got Rick's comment and this fact even worse than her own fears.

Her train of thoughts was cut off by Rick again.

"Here we are."

Rick parked their car in front of the first shop they passed. It looked completely cleaned out, but everything looked like this nowadays. They had to try.

"Carol and I will try to find some baby stuff, medical and sanitary supplies," Rick turned to Merle, "you fetch some clothes. The summer is coming and we need some t-shirts, pants and lighter boots. Of course, should you find any food, take it. We'll meet back here in ten minutes. Watch out for walkers."

Carol drew in a shaky breath. She knew she had to suppress all distracting thoughts. This was it, her first run. All she needed to focus on are the supplies and walkers.

They stepped in. Although it was almost noon, it was dark and smelly inside. The thick smell of mold and death filled her nostrils. She heard Merle on the right and followed Rick deeper into the shop.

She couldn't believe how long those ten minutes felt. They hardly found anything; most of the goods were cleared. She took a deep breath when they finally walked back into the sunlight. Merle was more successful, bringing some new clothes.

The plan was the same as always. They would search house after house until they find enough supplies to come back with. The time was passing quickly. Rick wanted to be back in the prison before sunset.

They entered a large Victorian house at the end of the street. There was a spacious garden with two garden sheds and even a small pond. Carol pointed at sheds and Rick nodded, they could use some tools as well. She followed Rick up the stairs. They made sure the corridor was clear and went to search the rooms. Carol didn't find anything in the first room. They didn't see any sign of walker so far and she was grateful for that.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around in one swift motion and aimed a pistol into the attacker's face.

"Wow Carol, easy, it's me!" Ricked jumped back with his hands up.

Carol cursed and lowered the gun.

"What the hell were you thinking? I almost blew your head off!" she wanted to yell at him but kept her voice down as she didn't want to attract any walkers.

"My fault, sorry Carol. I'm glad Daryl trained you not to shoot without thinking," he smirked, "I'm going outside to check the sheds. The corridor is clear and Merle is in the last room so you will be all right. Search the rest of the rooms, we'll meet outside."

Carol nodded and Rick left.

Carol found a basic medical kit in the next room and put it in her backpack happily. She entered the last room and pulled up short on the doorstep.

Merle was hiding a pistol he'd just found in the metallic box under the bed into his pocket. He lifted his head and their looks met.

The blood roared in Carol's ears. What did she expect? That Merle would find a gun and would hand it over to Rick, eager to be praised?

But what would they do with Merle now? Having his own gun, he could pull it out on anybody in the group. And what would he do to her now when she knew?

Merle took a step towards her.

Carol didn't want to panic, he might not want to hurt her, maybe he just put the gun in his pocket instinctively and didn't mean any harm.

Merle took another step and Carol finally saw the expression on his face. And she panicked.


	12. Goodbye

"Don't come any closer Merle," Carol warned him but it sounded pathetic even to her.

Merle looked amused.

"Or what Carol? You know girl, you should've taken big Merle's offer while you still could. I can't let you mess up my lil'bro's head. Ya left me no choice here."

They drew the guns at the same time.

"If you shoot me, Rick will kill you," Carol's voice wavered.

"What if I shoot him too?"

"Daryl won't buy it if you come back alone."

Merle smirked: "You really ain't stupid, ya know? Ya are right, there can be only one accident at the time. And today the winner is….you."

Carol felt a drop of sweat running down her back. She cocked the gun and aimed at Merle's head.

"I'll kill you if you move," she warned him again, this time more seriously.

"Really?" he laughed into her face, "do ya think that Daryl would forgive ya that?"

The gun in Carol's hand trembled a little. He hit the spot and he knew it.

She cursed herself for being so stupid. She'd really thought she would help the group if she'd let Merle to earn his place like this. How could she be so naive after everything they had gone through? Glenn was right; there was no good in Merle. Was she so blinded because of Daryl? Because she desperately wanted to believe that they could get used to his brother, if it was what Daryl wanted?

Suddenly they heard a gunshot followed by Rick's shout.

"Run!"

Carol knew that if she didn't want to decide between shooting Merle or letting him to shoot her, she had to act quickly.

Rick's shout disturbed Merle for a split of a second, but it was enough for Carol. She sprinted out of the door. She needed to get to Rick.

When she ran into the garden she froze. The garden was swarming with walkers. The bigger shed was opened and more and more walkers were coming out.

"Rick!" she saw him about fifty yards away on her left. He was taking down the walkers and he was desperately trying to get to the shed's door.

It was too late. They needed to get out of here quickly.

"Rick! Run! I'll meet you by the car! We need to get out of here!"

He heard her. He shot her last hesitating look and started to move backwards towards the gate. Carol couldn't follow him. There was a herd of walkers separating them and she would never manage to get through without being bit or scratched.

She quickly scanned her surroundings. She couldn't get to the gate and she had the house behind her. She could try to run through the house but there was Merle, waiting for her 'accident'. The fencing around the garden looked too high and unstable to climb. Carol's stomach turned, it was bad.

She had to give it a try, she had no other choice. She desperately ran to the fence. She chose the side with just a few walkers; however it was on the opposite end than the gate, Rick and their car. She took two walkers down with her knife. Once she got over the fence, she would run through that small wood and then back to the car.

The fence was made of soft wire mesh and it bowed when she was making her way up. Her hands and fingers were immediately cut by the wire. She knew she had no time to waste, walkers would smell the blood soon. She clenched her teeth and finally reached the top. She was gasping for air and quickly looked into the depth beneath her. The fence was quite high and she carefully threw one leg and then another over the top. She stopped for a second, hanging there like a scared fly in the spider's web.

Suddenly her sore and injured hands betrayed her and she felt her fingers losing the grip on the wire. She shrieked and fell, landing on her back. The blow winded her. Her head and back were on fire and she was desperately trying to catch her breath.

"Hey sugartits! Ya could have just run back into the house, but you are making this show so much fun now!"

She heard Merle's raspy voice and raised her head to look how far away he was. The pain shot up to her neck. Merle was just walking out of the house. She lied still and her breathing finally came to normal. He might not have seen her, but he would, once she got up. She needed to act quickly. The wood was just a few yards away, if she was lucky she would shake him off there. When she got to Rick, she would be safe.

She sprang to her feet and ran to the wood as fast as her legs were carrying her. Her body was protesting with every move. She felt rather then heard Merle running after her.

When she entered the wood, she was surrounded by humid gloom. She was trying to get her bearings. The wood was not huge but she would give Merle a chance to catch up with her if she didn't start heading in the right direction towards Rick.

She ran down small steep hill and hid behind uprooted tree stump. Just then Merle appeared among the trees.

"Hey babe, where are ya? Don't make it hard for yourself!" Merle listened carefully but didn't enter the wood, "bunch of walkers is coming your way lady, I ain't gonna waste the bullet. They can already smell your sweet tasty blood."

Carol looked at her bleeding hands and peeked out. What she saw sent a violent shudder through her aching body. Merle had one walker impaled on the blade attached to the metal cover of his hand and the walkers from the garden were tottering past him, without paying any attention to him. They were after her.

She started running again and heard Merle's laughter far behind her. She had troubles breathing and her head was spinning. Suddenly she tripped over the branch and went tumbling down another hill. She landed in a shallow creek. Sharp rocks at the bottom pierced her skin but cold water was soothing her sore body.

She heard a snarl and started sobbing. This was it then. Somewhere deep in her soul, she felt that she was not going to live for long. She was one of the weakest members of their group. Her nine lives were up and Daryl could not always protect her, no matter how hard he tried.

But she hoped to die surrounded by her friends, by her little family. She wanted to look into his eyes before saying goodbye.


	13. Sweet dreams

**Hi guys, sorry for the cliffhanger in the last chapter, I couldn't resist:-) Hope you'll enjoy this one as well!**

This wasn't fair. Her whole freaking life was a laugh. When she'd lost her precious little girl, the only light in her miserable life, she'd wanted to die and the death hadn't come. And now, when the world had gone to hell and she'd found people to care about, the death was coming to take her.

She felt anger bubbling in her veins. She heard the snarl closer to her. Maybe she was about to die here, but she was not going down easily. She clenched her teeth and sank her knife into the skull of the nearest walker with a desperate cry. She did the same with the next one, who was trying to grab her arm, and got out of the creek. For a brief moment she rested on all fours and tried to steady her breathing. She was afraid she might have cracked her ribs in the fall, as her breathing was shallow and her lungs felt on fire.

The walkers were coming, she couldn't see them from her position but she could hear them. Shuffling feet in the soft forest soil, nerve-racking growling.

She got up and once again started running in the opposite direction. The walkers were slow but her remaining strength was leaving her quickly. She stopped in front of a big tree and felt to her knees again. She noticed she'd lost one of her guns; the one Daryl had given her. She pulled out the other one and aimed at the nearest walker. She was no longer bothered she could attract other walkers, she had nothing to lose. She took down one walker with each bullet. Somewhere in the corner of her tortured mind, she thought Daryl would have been proud of her for becoming such a good shot. She emptied her gun but more and more walkers were coming.

She wanted to brace herself for what was coming, she wanted to be brave. She was trying to muffle her sobs with her hand but the horror of what was going to happen was paralyzing her.

She looked up at the sky, desperately searching for any kind of hope. She froze. Her view of the sky was partially blocked by something wrapped around the tree trunk, high above the ground. She blinked, thinking her mind was playing tricks on her. But when she looked up again, it was still there. Some kind of platform encircling the trunk. She got up to her feet and stepped away to find out what she was looking at. Tree house. She was staring in shock at the partly burnt out tree house in the tree crown.

She didn't hesitate a second and ran to the tree.

"Please, please… you can't show me this and leave no way to reach it, please," she found herself whispering hoarsely, when she was walking around thick tree trunk, trying to figure out how to climb up.

She found it. There were notches in the tree trunk and the rope was hanging from one of the branches, about ten feet high. She didn't hesitate and started to climb. She bit her lip when her fingers, injured from the fence, started bleeding again. She knew she couldn't look down and put all her strength into the climbing. She was literally crying in pain when she grabbed the edge of the platform.

She screamed when a greyish rotten hand touched hers. She immediately flinched and lost her balance. She desperately tried to stabilize herself and almost fell back when she gripped the rope. She clutched the rope for a dear life and tried to calm down. She was staring at the walker that used to be a child once. The child that had been playing in the tree house when the world had ended. Child that had been forgotten, abandoned, betrayed. The child that must have suffered of excruciating thirst and hunger, too afraid to climb down. The child who finally set the tree house on fire, only to wake up as one of these monsters. Carol felt sorry for it for a moment. She took out her knife and got closer to the platform again. She buried her knife into the monster's eye and pushed it down. Shortly, she was lying on the platform, her face down, heavily breathing. Her vision started to be blurred and she finally passed out.

Rick was impatiently pacing around the car. Merle was leaning against the passenger's doors, watching him carefully.

"You haven't seen her since you heard me shooting?" Rick's voice was desperate.

Merle sighed: "I already told ya twice man! I didn't even know you left her alone in the house with me. When I heard you yellin', I was tryin' to get out as quickly as I could. Didn't see her anywhere but I heard her shoutin' at ya. When I got out, none of ya were there."

Rick rubbed his eyes. Merle was right in one thing. He'd left Carol alone. If anything happened to her, her blood would be on his hands.

Suddenly the air echoed with the series of gunshots, coming from the nearby wood. Rick started sprinting immediately. Merle tensed, touched the pistol in his pocket and followed Rick.

When they reached the edge of the wood, Merle grabbed Rick's shoulder and wordlessly pointed among the trees. Rick blinked to clear his vision and gulped. The wood was swarming with dozens of walkers.

"Ya're dead if you gonna try it. We can't handle them all ourselves," Merle's voice was serious.

Rick knew he was right, but it was Carol out there and he'd promised Daryl, he'd look after her. He wanted to shout her name but knew it would only attract the walkers.

Merle seemed to be reading his mind.

"If she's there, she'd dead. No one can fight so many walkers without getting bit or scratched. We can come back here tomorrow and check if she didn't hide in any of the houses. But it is getting dark quickly, we need to head back to the prison."

Rick knew Merle was right but he didn't seem to be able to leave.

"I can't leave her here…"

"Maybe it's not 'her' anymore," Merle whispered, "and the same shit will happen to us if we don't get our asses movin' soon!"

Rick still didn't move and Merle started to be impatient as couple of walkers noticed their presence.

"Look man, I'm outta here. You comin'? Jeez, think of your kids man!"

Rick looked at him sharply and then, with the last look into the wood, started walking back to the car.

Merle turned towards the wood: "Sweet dreams, sugartits."

Maggie opened the gate and the car drove in. It was already dark; they came back about three hours later than usual so the whole group gathered even before they managed to get out of the car.

Heavy silence fell on the group when only two of them got out.

Rick automatically turned to Daryl, who was coming back from his watch. He noticed Daryl slowed down at the sight of them and Rick held out his hand in calming gesture to brace himself against what he knew was coming.

Daryl didn't say the word at first. He scanned Rick, his brother and then the car before turning to Rick.

"What the hell?" It was rather a growl than a question.

Rick thought he'd rather faced furious Daryl they had been all used to, than this quiet dangerous guy.

"We lost her Daryl…I don't know what to say, we just…," Rick had no idea where to start. He was surprised when Merle rushed to help him and explained in short what had happened.

Daryl was listening, the muscle in his right cheek twitching and didn't take his eyes of Rick.

"You said you'd take care of her," Daryl still didn't raise his voice and Rick must have admitted he hated this new 'quiet' part of Daryl's personality. For a brief moment he felt like a deer cornered by a mountain lion, who was about to attack.

"How fuckin' difficult it must be to make a woman not to leave your side during the run?"

"Bro, look, we did…"

"Stay out of it Merle," Daryl snapped.

Merle stepped back surprised. He'd never seen his brother acting this way and it made him nervous. He'd truly underestimated the influence that woman had over him and was glad he'd found such an easy solution today.

Rick watched Daryl pacing around him, not sure what to expect. He had a feeling Daryl himself didn't know what to do. His face was red, his jaw hardened and he was clenching fingers around his crossbow.

"Where?" was the only word he spitted out.

"Probably in the wood behind one of the houses, near the first shop. We heard the gunshots and….."

Daryl stopped in his tracks.

"Ya heard the gunshots, knew she was there fightin' for her life and left?" he yelled.

Rick put his hand on Daryl's shoulder and Daryl violently shook it off.

"Daryl, if there was anything I could do…there were so many walkers we would get killed!"

"There was something ya could do! Ya shouldn't have left her out of your fuckin''sight!" he shouted into Rick's face. Old Daryl was back.

They heard Lil'Asskicker started crying in her crib and Beth ran off to calm the baby down.

Daryl felt he would explode. The strength of his own fury scared him.

"Have ya seen her?"

He was shouting again and was afraid he would punch Rick straight in the face if he didn't get out pretty soon.

"Have ya fuckin' seen her dead or turned ?"

Rick shook his head. Daryl put his crossbow over his shoulder and turned on his heel, heading to the door.

"Where the hell ya think ya goin' bro'?" Merle's voice was clearly annoyed.

"None of your damn business," Daryl brushed him off.

In the next second Merle had Daryl pinned against the wall.

"Are ya out of your mind boy?"

Daryl tried to break free from Merle's grip but he held him tight.

"Let me go Merle!"

"Forget goin' on that suicide mission you idiot! It's already dark and that were more walkers than trees in that fuckin' wood!"

"And still you left her behind! Since when you're afraid of couple of walkers?"

"Daryl, we will set out at dawn. You, me, Merle and Glenn. If she's still out there, we'll find her. Merle's right – by going there alone now you will only get yourself killed," Rick's arguments were reasonable but didn't help Daryl to feel better.

He finally wrenched himself from Merle's grasp. He needed to get out, he needed a fresh air.


	14. Never again

Bustle in the prison gradually ceased and everybody returned to their cells to get a bit of restless sleep.

Rick went outside to check on Daryl. He knew he wouldn't go out alone tonight. Despite his anger and stirred emotions, the hunter inside him would stop him from doing something so suicidal.

Rick bowed his shoulders. He knew his decision had been rational and right, but none of it seemed to ease the guilt he was feeling.

He looked at the man on the guard tower. Daryl's dark silhouette was leaning against the handrail and he was staring into the field.

Rick was aware that Daryl and Carol had grown closer since Sophia's dead. It still made him wonder as they were the least probable match he'd ever seen. Strong and weak, wild and calm, ill-mannered and forthcoming. But as impossible at it seemed, they'd somehow transformed their weaknesses into each other's strengths and their bond was genuine and unusually powerful.

Rick knew that after Merle's disappearance in Atlanta, it had been mainly Carol, who hadn't let Daryl seclude from the group. Daryl had soon proved to be an indispensable member of the group and had shown, under Carol's involuntary sight, that he was very different from his older brother.

Sometimes Rick wondered why Daryl had been so loyal to him. It had been him who'd cuffed his brother to the roof and had left him there. And now he'd lost Carol.

When he'd seen Daryl's haunted expression today it'd made him worried what would happen tomorrow. No matter how much that thought hurt, he wasn't naive to believe Carol could possibly make it. If she'd been the one binding Daryl with this group, what would happen when she was gone? Was he going to leave with his brother again, leaving them all to face the Governor alone?

Rick sighed and returned back to the prison. Tomorrow would show.

Daryl knew he was not going to get any sleep tonight. He was afraid what he could see if he closed his eyes. Stooped tiny body, sore grey arms stretching out to him, unseeing eyes that had turned the color from beautiful gentle blue into foggy shade.

Daryl had never felt so empty. When he'd seen only Rick and Merle getting out of car, everything had stopped. He'd felt sweat trickling down the side of his face but hadn't been able to raise his hand and wipe it away. He'd felt like his body hadn't belonged to him. His brain had been coming out with hundreds of reasons why she hadn't been with them, but he'd refused to face the most obvious one.

He'd failed her again. He should have stopped her from going, he'd felt something would have screwed up. She had been so obsessed with the group's greater good that she'd underestimated the danger she had been getting herself into. He should have known better. He shouldn't have counted on anyone else to protect her.

He desperately kicked the metal post hoping that pain would make him feel better. He should have done so much more but he'd acted like a two year old and had got pissed at her instead. On top of that he'd been nasty to her just before they'd left. He kept failing her over and over again. He'd already got one chance when he'd found her in the abandoned cell after walkers' attack during which they'd lost T-Dog. Daryl didn't consider himself God's favorite to get this chance again.

He shut his eyes tightly, curled a fist into the ball and hit the metal wall with all his strength. The stinging pain didn't help at all. He felt a sob forming in his chest. He spat on the ground. Fuck it, Dixons never cry.

The morning was cloudy and fully corresponded with everybody's mood. When Rick, Merle and Rick went outside, Daryl was already waiting by his bike.

Rick's heart dropped when he saw how shattered Daryl looked. Dark bags under his eyes clearly showed he hadn't got any sleep. Daryl didn't say a word, got on his bike and drove out. They followed him.

When they reached the town, they parked at same spot as Rick had yesterday. Daryl took his crossbow and started walking towards the wood in the stony silence. Glen looked at Rick hesitantly. Rick just shrugged and pointed in Dary's direction.

"What if Carol is…," Glen was obviously not thrilled by the idea of following Daryl.

"Then it's not her anymore and ya'll take her down kid," Merle growled.

The wood was quiet. It seemed that most of the walkers were already gone. Daryl clearly saw the spot where Merle and Rick were standing; the grass was still slightly flattened.

Daryl's jaw hardened when he found Carol's tracks. Soon he picked up the gun he'd given her. She'd been alone, armed with just a knife and eight bullets from the other gun. His imagination was throwing him pictures he didn't want to see. He crouched and laid his forehead against his knee for a while. He tried to gather the strength to continue.

Soon he reached the creek and checked two walker bodies lying on the bank. It was not her, but it was definitely Carol who killed them. The hope, he was so desperately trying to hold back, flared up with a new strength.

He quickly followed her footprints. He could see she'd been hurt and exhausted. His stomach twisted when he saw eight bodies lying in front of him. He stopped and drew in a shaky breath. This was it. He heard Rick, Glen and Merle far behind him.

He slowly checked all bodies. Eight bullets, eight bodies. If he didn't feel like shit, he would have even smiled. The woman had become a great shot.

Daryl looked around confused. Where had she gone? Had other walkers got her eventually after this fight? He was perplexed as there were not footsteps leading from here.

Then he saw it. Daryl couldn't believe his eyes and before he could think what he was doing he was climbing up the tree. By the time he reached the bottom of the tree-house, his heart was beating fast. He swung over the edge and stopped in the middle of his movement. He gave out muffled laugh and felt he was losing control over his limbs again. He quickly climbed on the platform. Carol seemed to be unconscious and laid on the wooden floor, curled in the fetal position.

Daryl carefully lifted her from the floor and drew her close to him. She was breathing steadily. Carol was covered in walkers' blood, bruised and sore all over but apart from that she seemed all right. She was alive.

Daryl instinctively tugged her closer to him and tried to compose his features. He couldn't believe he was holding her in his arms alive. He was one lucky son of a bitch.

He gently stroked her arm.

"Hey lady, time to wake up."

So she must have been finally dead, Carol thought. She heard Daryl's voice and the floor was not so hard and cold anymore. But she still hurt. She stirred disgruntledly.

"Hey…easy."

She wrinkled her head in confusion. There shouldn't have been so much pain after you died, she thought.

Then she felt a rough hand softly caressing her cheek.

Her eyelids flattered, she slowly opened her eyes and found herself looking into Daryl's face. A tiny smile formed in the corner of her mouth.

"Finally…nap's over, let's go home," he said but didn't seem to be willing to let her out of his arms.

His voice was unusually thick with emotions and Carol eyed him curiously. Her heart sank when she saw the state he was in. He was a mess. She must have scared the hell out of him.

She squeezed his arm.

"What happened with 'don't expect me to run after you if something fucks up'?" her throat was dry and sore but she chuckled.

Daryl shook his head.

"Woman, ya are gonna listen to every single word I say from now on. If not, I'm gonna tie ya to the bed once and for all."

Carol shrugged: "Didn't know you liked it this way but I don't mind."

Now it was Daryl's turn to laugh.

"Jesus, one would think ya should have other things on mind after survivin' this hell."

Daryl helped her to sit up but still held her tightly. She sighed, curled her head under his chin and finally relaxed. He hadn't given up on her. She felt the tears in her eyes. It had always been Daryl.


	15. Need to tell you

**Hi guys! I am sorry for not updating more often :-( Thank you all for your great reviews, it keeps me going!**

"Daryl, I need to tell you something," she was clearly exhausted but the urgency in her voice made him tensed.

Daryl shifted so he could look into her face.

"No matter what I tell you, promise me you won't do anything stupid.."

"Sounds good coming from you," Daryl grumbled.

Carol didn't appreciate his attempt to lighten the situation and she straightened up.

She had no idea where and how to start telling Daryl that his brother had tried to murder her in a cold blood.

She sighed, knowing that no matter how she put it, it would be devastating for Daryl. She hated hurting him, but couldn't allow anybody like Merle to threaten her little family.

Daryl was listening motionlessly and didn't interrupt her once. She was watching him with concern.

His face was growing darker with every word she said and his body stiffened. He was clenching his fists and involuntary pushed her out of his arms.

When she finished, he didn't even look at her, his look fixed on something in the distance.

"Daryl...," she reached out to touch him, but stopped halfway as she heard Merle's raspy voice.

"Anybody's up there?"

Daryl noticed the terrified look that suddenly appeared in her eyes and cursed under his breath.

He grabbed her arms and forced her to look at him.

"Ya'll act like you told me nothin', understand?"

She nodded, shocked by the vacant expression in his face.

He shot her one last quick glance and bent over the edge of the tree house.

"Yeah, we're up here."

Merle's head shot up.

"Carol's there with you?"

Daryl nodded and turned back to Carol. He was surprised to find her in the corner, hugging her knees with panic-stricken look.

When he got closer, she flinched away.

He narrowed his eyes in confusion: "What the hell happened to ya?"

It was Daryl. Daryl she knew and she trusted with her life, Carol repeated to herself. But it was still his brother down there, person he'd always had the strongest bond with.

Twice Daryl had faced this decision. First, he'd chosen his brother, ditching them all. Then he'd come back, wordlessly confessing his mistake. What would be his third, and this time final, choice?

Daryl seemed to read her mind.

He mentally kicked himself, again realizing how his first walk out with Merle must have shaken up her faith in him, no matter how brave and calm she tried to act.

He pulled back and looked at her.

"I ain't gonna let him hurt ya, do you understand? Ya must trust me, just pretend you told me nothin'."

They heard Rick and Glen joining Merle.

Daryl stretched out his hand to her.

"We'll go easy now. Ya're two weak to climb down herself. I'll be holding ya, Rick will catch ya and get ya down, OK?"

Everything went smoothly and soon she was in Rick's arms. She was surprised when he hugged her tightly, murmuring the words of apology.

When he finally put Carol on her feet, she lurched. The fight, her injuries and long cold hours spent in the tree crown, had got the best of her and she realized she could barely stand. She felt a strong arm clasped around her waist quickly. She looked at Daryl thankfully and leaned into him.

"Let's get you to Hershel quick," Daryl didn't waste time.

Carol did her best to avoid Merle's gaze. She felt his eyes piercing her, trying to figure out how much she'd said to his brother. She knew Daryl was aware of that too and she appreciated he never let her to be close to Merle, positioning himself between them.

When they finally reached the parking lot, a shaky breath caught in her throat. There was Daryl's precious bike and one car. If she didn't ride on bike with Daryl, which was out of question considering her condition, it would leave her with Merle at the backseat of the car.

"Put her in the car Daryl, I'll take care of her," Rick gestured to the car.

"Sure, I've done it once and see what happened," Daryl snarled a bit more harshly then he intended. Rick didn't say anything and bowed his head. Daryl immediately felt guilty for snapping at him. Man was going through shit times, but Daryl had more important things on his mind right now.

"Merle, you take my bike, I'll go by car," Daryl said, not missing the uncertain look his brother gave him.

Carol felt last piece of strength leaving her. She was already half asleep when she felt Daryl scooping her up and placing her on the backseat of the car.

When she woke up, she was lying in her cell and Hershel was bending over her. She smiled when she saw his kind face.

"You scared the hell out of us Carol," his voice was soft as he was checking her pulse, "Beth was crying all night, thinking she'll never see you again."

Carol felt her eyes filling with tears, she felt bad for the girl. Beth was sweet and sensitive youngster, having hard time getting used to the new world and Carol hated to know that she'd caused her even more despair.

It surprised her when Hershel chuckled and she looked at him in confusion. Hershel waved his hand in amusement.

"I've just remembered Beth, when she saw Daryl carrying you inside. She threw herself on the poor guy, almost knocking him off his feet. He had his hands full already and suddenly he had to handle two women at once."

Hershel smirked: "And you know how Daryl loves the attention. He put you on bed and sneaked out as quickly as he could."

Carol couldn't help but smile, imagining Daryl being attacked by Beth. Suddenly the smile died on her lips, when the events of last couple of hours came back to her at full blast.

She shot up and her sore body protested violently.

"Where's Daryl?"


	16. Gave up on you

"We need to talk," when Daryl approached Merle, he was already barely controlling himself.

"Now. Outside."

Merle wasn't surprised by his brother's request. He slowly got up and followed Daryl, who stormed out of the door.

Daryl stopped when he was sure no one was around. Merle leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.

"Did you do that?" Daryl immediately cut to the chase. He was clenching his fists so hard that his nails were leaving bloody marks on his palms.

"Regardless of what I have ever done lil' brother, I've been always tryin' to keep us both alive." Merle's voice was wary, not really knowing what he should expect from Daryl.

"What the fuck were ya thinkin'? I have talked to the group on yer behalf, convinced them to give ya one more chance! Ya lied to me!" Daryl was suddenly square in Merle's face, his whole body shaking with barely suppressed fury.

"You gave me no choice bro!" Merle finally found himself fed up with all pretending and behaving nicely, "I've a good plan, I'll save you worthless ass again, but ya haven't seem to be ready to hear it out yet!"

"Plan?" Daryl repeated dumfounded, "your plan? We all have the plan…we'll fight if this is what this son of a bitch wants. We ain't leavin' the prison."

"Listen to yourself boy!" Merle hissed irriated, "you keep babbling 'we' like fuckin' broken record! Who's 'we'? Bunch of kids and women! The Governor won't even waste his bullets on ya!"

Merle was breathing heavily, trying to talk some sense into his younger brother, knowing this was his last chance.

"There is couple of good guys in Woodbury, who would follow me into the prison. Once Rick is out of the way we can…," he fell silent, looking into Daryl's face.

"You've been planning this all along and I've just invited you in…," the realization of Merle's intentions hit Daryl full force and for a moment he was afraid he would puke. What kind of idiot was he, thinking that Merle could ever settle down with the group like he did?

"Ya don't belong with them pal! Stop shittin' yourself! What are ya for them? Some kind of fuckin' redneck hero? Does it turn ya on to be the strongest dumbass among this flock of sheep?" Merle was spitting the words out, trying to make Daryl realize he'd chosen the wrong side.

"You're wrong," Daryl didn't want this argument to turn into the fight but he was on the edge.

"I've never belonged anywhere. But I do belong here now. I ain't leaving these people."

Merle looked at him in shock, speechless for a moment.

"Ya knew I care and still you wanted to kill them. Ya lied to me. Ya manipulated me. As always," Daryl's voice was suddenly flat.

Merle shook his head in disbelief and suddenly shouted into Daryl's face.

"I've done it all for ya, you fuckin' asshole! Look what they've turned ya into! Ya act like pussy most of the time! Feeding baby for fuck's sake? Riskin' your fuckin' life for some old bitch? I bet she's a real good fuck! Has anybody kicked your brain out boy?"

Daryl's vision blurred and his face darkened. He felt the blood roaring in his ears, his body getting ready for the fight.

Before Merle could react, Daryl knocked him to the ground.

"Daryl's beating the shit out Merle!" Carl's insistent voice immediately got everybody up.

"Or Merle's beating the shit out of Daryl, I wasn't sure," Carl confessed.

"Watch your mouth boy," Hershel told him automatically, heading to the door together with Rick and the rest of the group.

Angry panting and dull sounds of hard blows quickly guided them towards the fight. Carol's stomach knotted at the scene in front of her. Daryl was bleeding and his left eye was already turning black. But Merle didn't seem to be in the best shape either.

Ricked stepped forwarded but Carol grabbed his arm.

"Leave them alone," she said quietly.

Rick looked at her in surprise.

"Daryl said he would deal with anything regarding Merle himself. We need to respect this. Let's go back. If anybody can handle Merle, it's Daryl."

Rick glanced from Carol back to the fighting brothers and nodded.

"Let's go back."

Soon they were too exhausted to carry on fighting. Daryl was sitting on the dusty ground, breathing heavily and wiping the blood from his chopped lip. Merle was trying to stop his nosebleed. He tried to get up but tumbled down again.

"What the fuck was that?" Merle snarled at his brother.

"It was for makin' an idiot out of me…for lyin' to me…for fuckin' with my people," Daryl spat out some blood, exhausted to death.

Merle finally scrambled up to his feet and stretched his good hand to Daryl.

"Come on baby brother. We are even. It's time to go, we can still make it."

Daryl look at him, completely astound.

"Have you listened to anything I just said? I ain't leavin', I wanna stay here."

They stared into each other's eyes.

"Where does it leave me?" Merle's voice was suddenly quiet.

Daryl's stomach twisted as he nodded to the gate.

"Ya have to leave Merle, this ain't place for ya," he said, dropping his eyes to the ground.

"I got it lil' bro. I fucked up with 'your' people, your only family you have now. Enjoy the rest of your days in peace."

Merle's voice was muffled and defeated. Daryl was not able to look at him, fearing his messy emotions would betray him.

"But hey Daryl…,"

Daryl finally looked up but the lump in his throat didn't allow him to speak.

"I really did it for ya baby brother. I know I'm an asshole sometimes and my methods might not be perfect, but ya are the only person in this fuckin' world I've ever cared for."

Merle smiled and looked at his younger brother pensively: "So after all, I guess it's only right that it'll be ya having my blood on your hands."

With these words Merle went inside to get his stuff and left.

Daryl sat on the ground and didn't move for a long time. When he came back into the prison, everybody turned to him. He ignored it and quickly ran up to his cell. Although he hated sleeping behind the bars, he did something he'd never done before. He closed the bars behind him.


	17. Need you

Daryl was avoiding everybody for two days. When they woke up in the morning, he'd been already gone hunting. He came back late, threw his kills on the table and disappeared into his cell quickly.

Every day when the sun was going down, Carol started to be restless, impatiently waiting for his return. She couldn't help worrying that Daryl would bump into his brother in the woods and would reassess his decision. She was afraid he would leave the group, leave her again.

Carol was waiting for him, sitting on the cold metallic stairs, and sighed a breath of relief every time she saw him walking in, sweaty, dirty and tired. Normally he would look at her and gave her a small nod or even a smile, but in those two days he never looked up to search for her eyes.

Rick was growing impatient. The Governor could attack anytime and he needed Daryl to fully focus on improving their defenses and getting ready for the clash.

"He just needs time to wrap his head around it," Carol said softly, watching Rick's desperate expression, when Daryl disappeared into his cell again without saying a single word.

"Wrap his head around what? Merle just started fitting in slowly. It was Daryl's decision to throw him out. He can't blame the group for this."

"He doesn't," Carol pressed her lips together and looked down.

Rick looked at her inquisitively: "You know what happened between them?"

Carol shook her head. She didn't want to share anything of what had happened between her and Merle before she had a chance to talk to Daryl about it.

"Then he'd better start thinking straight soon," Rick sighed and went to check on Judith.

She stopped in front his cell and quietly watched him cleaning his crossbow.

When he looked up and saw her standing there, he jumped, genuinely startled.

"Hell woman, where did you get that habit of scaring people to death?" Daryl blurted out.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

"If you have to," he went back to cleaning his weapon, obviously not thrilled by her attempt to invade his privacy.

Carol decided she would not let him put her off. She leaned against the wall opposite to him.

"You're so angry and tense."

He looked at her with irritation: "Christ, tell me something I don't know."

She flinched where she got a proper look at his beaten face. "You should go to Hershel…"

His annoyed growl stopped her in the middle of sentence but she refused to give up.

"What are you so furious about? Kicking Merle out? Or staying here with us? Or stucking here and probably getting killed with us?"

"Fuck, stop this shit. Don't try to analyze me woman. Just go and leave me be."

She didn't move, looking at him with despair.

"We need you Daryl. The Governor can attack anytime and Rick… we need you. We need to know we can count on you."

Daryl jumped to his feet.

"Have I ever done anythin' to prove you can't count on me? Fuck..is it really freakin' too much to ask you to leave me alone for couple of fuckin' hours? Just give me a rest, all of ya!"

Carol felt tears burning in her eyes. But she would be damned if she showed her weakness to him right now. She stuck her chin out. She hated this angry, violent side of Daryl, but she knew she had to put up with it. It was an inseparable part of him and it somehow balanced his kindness and solicitude he rarely showed these days, but which all knew he had. She knew it had been a defiance and anger that had helped him to survive the horrors of his childhood but she was so afraid that now, with the emotions balancing on the edge and with the weight of his difficult decision on his shoulders; the dark side would overpower him.

"You haven't been yourself lately," she dropped her eyes to her shoes.

He didn't seem to even listen to her.

"I miss it," she confessed.

"Well, that's the price you gotta pay. Can't have everything, can you?" he barked at her.

OK, that was it. Carol felt tears welling up in her eyes and she knew she would lose it. She turned on her heel and was gone.

Daryl stared on the spot where she was standing just a moment ago. He groaned and put a throbbing head into his hands.

The night was unusually bright. Full moon wreathed the yard in silver light and for a moment it looked almost peaceful. Daryl nodded to Glen and Maggie, who came to relieve him from the watch. He hurried away, knowing that the couple couldn't wait to get some privacy in the guard tower.

He couldn't stop thinking about Carol. He was wondering how she can put up with him sometimes. First he'd left her and the whole group without saying a word, and then he'd come back with his brother, expecting her to understand all his reasons. Just a few days later he'd given her a piece of his mind when she'd chosen to go on run with Rick and Merle, hoping it would have helped his dumbass brother to fit into the group. But Merle had tried to kill her in return. When he'd found her half dead in the woods, he'd promised her he wouldn't have left Merle hurt her, just to treat her like a piece of shit this afternoon. He clenched his fists when he remembered the hurt in her eyes. He was surprised she wasn't tempted to punch him into his face every time she saw him.

He was lying in his cell but couldn't sleep. He sighed and sat up. He was weighing his options and then got up. He was carefully listening for a while and when he was sure than even Lil'Asskicker was fast asleep, he silently walked over to Carol's cell.

He didn't want to wake her but something was telling him that she wasn't getting a good night sleep either. Not that he had anything to do with that.

By the way her body was tense under the thin blanket, he knew he was right. He knew she could feel him standing there, but she didn't say a word.

"Can I come in?" he whispered.

"If you have to," she threw the words back into his face.

He knew he deserved it and pressed his lips together.

"I can go...," he offered uncertainly.

"Whatever."

God, he could say she was pissed, not that he was surprised.

Daryl slowly stepped into her cell. She propped up on her elbow, not moving on the bed to let him sit down as she usually did.

"Sorry, I've been a dick lately," he said quickly, shifting his weight.

Despite the brevity of his apology, Carol could say he meant it. Daryl was not a man of words and she knew that even coming to her cell had been difficult for him.

She'd already forgiven him but she was not going to make it easy for him.

She was watching him silently, not moving, and not saying a word. Daryl was growing more and more uncertain, searching her face for any sign of mercy. When he couldn't find it, he hung his head and turned to leave her cell.

"Apology accepted," it was not louder than a whisper but she knew he would catch it. He turned hesitantly and saw her shifting on her bed, making a space for him to sit down. She smiled at him softly and he felt his heart to skip a beat. He was sitting next to her in instant.

"Took your time," he grumbled but she heard a smile and relief in his voice.

Goose bumps rose on her skin when he unintentionally brushed his arm against hers in order to sit more comfortably.

They were sitting silently for a few moments. Carol didn't push, giving Daryl all the time he needed.

"Ya must truly love Dixon's family," he chuckled bitterly, "trying to kill Glenn, Maggie and you in the end."

He heart ached hearing him saying that. No matter what happened, this man kept blaming himself, undertaking his brother's sins as well.

"It was all Merle, not you. You are a different person."

"Yeah, I've just proven it this afternoon, haven't I?"

"Maybe not this afternoon, but you'd proven it when you'd sent him away. And you've proven it tonight as well," she whispered and looked into his eyes, "thank you for choosing us over Merle."

"He gave me no choice this time. I believed he could change when I asked the group to take him in. But after what he did to ya and what he was plannin' to do…I just couldn't let him...," Daryl starred on the wall and paused.

Carol waited, knowing how much Daryl needed to get it out of his chest.

"Still…Merle is a bastard, but in a strange way I know that he really cared for me. Kickin' him out was like…I don't know, I just felt like shit," Daryl sighed, unable to describe the lost he felt.

"Did you tell anybody about Merle…what he wanted to do to you and Rick…and the others?" Daryl's voice was suddenly low and hesitant again.

She just shook his head and didn't the miss the gratitude that flashed in his eyes.

"Do you think…it could stay like this? They all hate Merle anyway, ain't reason to add fuel to the flame. He's gone now, he ain't comin' back."

She covered his large hand with hers and gave it a quick squeeze of agreement. When she touched him, she felt Daryl shiver. She quickly withdrew her hand and put it in her lap.

She was itching to touch him. She caught herself wondering if she just wanted to comfort him or if she wanted to feel his body against hers for purely selfish reasons. She blushed on this thought and quickly pushed it away. The last thing she wanted to do tonight was to confuse him and scare him away.

"You miss Merle…it's not going to fade away quickly, trust me. No matter what you do, it'll stay with you. But you must stop blaming yourself," Carol sighed sadly, turning her attention back to Daryl.

When he finally turned his head and looked at her, she saw a tiny smile forming in the corner of his lips: "However, I'm pretty sure I've done the right decision this time."

She nodded, genuine smile on her lips:

"I'm glad. Somebody must lull Lil'Asskicker to sleep. She will be teething soon, it'll be hell."

"And somebody must keep you on the leash. Rick's got a lot on his mind; Hershel ain't able to catch up with you, which leaves me to be the responsible one."

She chuckled and Daryl's smile widened at the sight of her looking happy. He needed to protect her; he needed to make her happy. He needed her. Who was he kidding pretending he didn't care?

"Don't ya think I forgot about what I'd told in the woods. Ya gonna to listen to every word I say now, do ya understand?" he tried to look menacing, but it was only a pitiful attempt, which failed as soon as she smiled at him gently.

He froze when she leaned to him and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, just above his eyebrow.

"I will, thank you," she whispered against his ear and pulled away quickly. Fire rolled through his veins in a response to this quick act of tenderness. Daryl nodded abruptly and jumped to his feet.

"Good night Carol," he was out of her cell before she could answer.


	18. Waves

**Hi guys! Sorry for not updating for so long! I was really busy and injured my leg on top of that so I didn't have as much time for writing as I would have wished. **

**I won't be able to watch the final episode today, I'll watch it tomorrow and I really really hope it won't be as heartbreaking as the last one. They can't kill off everybody Daryl has ever grown attached to, right? Carol, please be strong.**

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Carol was up early. Judith was fussy, so she took her from Rick's cell to give him a bit longer sleep. She was feeding a baby, sitting on the stairs leading to Daryl's perch, smiling to herself. She knew she shouldn't have been so content, the world had gone to hell and the Governor could attack anytime, but she couldn't help it. The weight of squirming, healthy baby in her arms and her yesterday's night talk with Daryl simply made her feel that way and she decided to steal every moment of happiness she had left.

Her smile even widened when she heard the light steps behind her.

"Too early for hunting, isn't it?" she asked, not turning. She would recognize those footsteps anywhere.

"Too early for this lil' monster to scream her head off, huh?" Daryl sat down next to her, examining Judith, "is she all right?"

"Yeah, just a tummy ache and she was hungry, so I took her from Rick before she could wake everybody up."

Daryl nodded and slightly touched her arm before he got up.

"I'll be back around lunchtime. Try not to run into any troubles till then."

She smiled and watched him leave. The day had started so peacefully.

Unfortunately, the peace was not supposed to last long. Maggie was outside with Beth hanging out the washing, when three figures emerged from the wood. Beth ran inside to get Rick and Maggie sprinted to the guard tower, where Glenn was having a watch.

They all calmed down a little when they recognized Daryl's unmistakable crossbow. He was walking a few steps behind the other two, obviously protecting them, watching out for walkers.

"It's Andrea and Michonne," said Rick, finally taking the binoculars off his eyes, "Andrea is hurt."

They opened the gate and let them in. Daryl was now also supporting Andrea, who could barely walk. Her face was all swollen, covered in blood and bruises. She was limping on one leg and left side of her blouse was soaking in blood. Carol gasped when she saw the state she was in. They didn't waste the time talking. Rick replaced Michonne and together with Daryl they half dragged half carried Andrea into the prison.

They all silently stood there, when Hershel was checking on Andrea. They all knew what it meant. No matter if she'd run away or was set free, this was the message from the Governor.

"I cannot say if she's got any internal injuries," Hershel sighed and ran a hand over his tired face, "but if she doesn't, she should make it. Somebody has beaten the hell out of her, but she doesn't have any broken bones and the stab wound in her side is not too deep either."

He didn't waste a time and started treating his wounds, Carol helping him.

"Was it the Governor?" Maggie's voice was no louder than a whisper.

Daryl nodded.

"He would have killed her if that geek Milton, or whatever his fuckin'name is, didn't help her. Andrea tried to get to the prison and bumped into Michonne in the woods. Fuckin' coincidence but it saved her life. I found them this morning about five miles west from the prison. They were making so much noise I was surprised they didn't have the herd of walkers behind their ass."

Rick turned to Michonne: "We're glad to have you back."

"Yeah, you'd better be," Daryl's voice lowered as he looked around the group, "that bastard with his army is comin' tomorrow."

They all fell silent. They knew it was coming, but having a firm date was like feeling a guillotine already scraping their necks. Glenn hugged Maggie and Rick instinctively pulled Carl closer to him. Beth turned to her father with desperate look on her face. Carol suddenly felt nauseous. This is it then, they would probably die tomorrow, defending what they believed was their home.

Her eyes found Daryl's. He was looking directly at her, thoughtfully chewing on his thumb. Although he was trying to cover it up, she saw the doubts and uncertainty in his eyes. She felt her stomach drop. If Daryl Dixon doubted they could make it, they were screwed. She swallowed the panic rising in her throat and glared at Rick. He'd designated himself as the leader and now was the time to prove it.

The tasks Rick assigned were simple. Men went outside to make sure the prison is as fortified as it can get. They built small barricades around each shooting post and made sure it was well equipped with guns and ammo. Women in the prison were checking that all weapons are fully loaded and working.

It was late in the afternoon when Rick had their little group gathered in the eating area inside the prison. He sighed when he looked around their glowering and serious faces. He'd given them a choice. None of them wanted to flee, all voted to fight for the prison they considered their home. They could die tomorrow, but hitting a road with one-legged man and small baby would mean a death sentence sooner or later. They decided to take their chances but when the day was coming to an end, the mettle and fighting spirit seemed to be fading away. He saw fear and exhaustion; he felt the uneasiness and tension.

But despite their desperate situation, he felt blessed to be in the company of these people. Apart from the family bonds, each of them was ready to catch a bullet for their loved ones. He knew that Glenn wouldn't hesitate a second to lay down his life for Maggie or her sister and Hershel would do the same for any of them. And he would be blind not to notice how overprotective over Carol Daryl had become. When he'd told her that Daryl had decided to leave with his brother, Rick hadn't seen Carol so shattered since Sophia's death. It made a favor he wanted to ask her even more difficult, but he saw no other choice.

He turned directly to Carol, who was humming to Judith in her arms. Daryl was standing next to her, watching Rick and waiting for him to speak.

"Carol," Rick cleared his throat, "if things get out of control tomorrow, I want you to take Judith, Carl, Beth and Andrea and get out of here."

She looked at him with her blue eyes wide open and didn't say a word.

"We have the car ready for you out back. It is loaded with petrol, supplies and guns. The Governor and his men will come from the other side and won't see it."

Carol shook her head and before she could say anything, suddenly Carl stepped in front of his father.

"Dad, I'm not going anywhere. I have become a great shot, Carol's good too and Beth will stay with Judith in the back. You cannot afford to lose two people."

Rick sighed, kneeled in front of his son and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Carl…I didn't manage to save your mother and I didn't manage to save you from the horrors of this world. But you have become a strong young man and God help me if I don't try to save your life no matter what it takes."

Rick squeezed his eyes shut when he remembered Lori and for a thousand times pictured his son putting down his own mother before she'd turned.

"Carl, I love you. You, Carol and Beth will be the last ones to defend Judith if we get outnumbered tomorrow. Andrea is hurt, she can't fight now, but she will get better soon. You need to trust me with this and you need to do as asked. You must make sure that your sister will get a chance to grow up."

The tears were now running down Carl's cheeks but he nodded and hugged his father tightly.

"But hey, don't give up. Where there's life there's hope," Rick whispered into his son's ear before getting up.

He turned to Carol again. She still seemed to be in shock.

"You want me to leave you all behind?" she asked in disbelief, "I thought we are a family. We go or we stay, live or die, but all of us. We are not separating."

"Carol please," Rick's voice was trembling, "I ahve no idea what happens tomorrow. You are the only one who can save them if we don't make it."

Carol looked at Hershel and his expression was as pleading as Rick's: "We put the lives of our youngest ones in your hands Carol."

Carol turned to Daryl.

"You agree with this?"

He looked into her eyes and then looked away.

"I loaded the car."

Something in Carol broke. She knew they were being reasonable. But staying alive and knowing that most of her loved ones were gone was too much to ask. She looked down at Judith, tears running down her face. She knew she had no choice.

"Carol?" Rick was now standing in front of her, both hands on her shoulders.

Her eyes were teary and she looked down at Judith again. Baby was awake, smiling at her and stretching her little arms.

Carol swallowed a sob and nodded.

There was not much else to say. Rick wanted to encourage them, wanted to ensure them they were going to be all right but the words weren't coming. They seemed to understand. One by one they slowly disappeared into their cells, knowing the sleep would not come.

No one could call Daryl Dixon a coward, but it was the middle of night and prison was already quiet when he decided he was ready to face Carol Peletier. He was watching her from his perch. He saw her pacing in her cell, packing and unpacking her stuff, kicking the bars and finally collapsing on the bed, crying her eyes out.

He wished he would know what to say, what to do. He didn't allow himself to think about tomorrow. He'd seen Rick losing his cool when talking to Carol about Carl and Lil'Asskicker, and didn't want the same happen to him.

When Rick had asked him, Daryl had agreed with his plan immediately. Getting Carol out of the way if the situation went adrift, was the most reasonable solution he could think of. Just an idea of Carol getting hurt or even killed made him nauseous.

Daryl looked over to her cell again. She was already tugged in her bed, rolling around restlessly. Daryl had never had many people in his miserable life who would have cared for him and vice versa. Nonetheless, he'd realized a long time ago that he did care for Carol much more than he should have and it'd scared the hell out of him when it seemed she cared about him too. He had no freaking idea how it'd happened but it had. He wished he could somehow tell her how special she was to him, without looking like a dumbass and screwing things up.

He sighed and went to her cell. Whether he liked it or not, it really could be the last chance to talk to her. He didn't want to miss it and he wanted to double check she wouldn't do anything stupid tomorrow.

By the way she jumped out of her bed when she heard his footsteps; he knew she was waiting for him. But he was taken aback by the hurt he saw in her eyes.

She jabbed her finger into his chest.

"You knew! You knew about Rick's plan and didn't tell me anything! How could you!"

"Cause I knew ya would go into frenzy like this and wanna to avoid it as long as possible," he snapped back at her.

Well, it'd started really well, Daryl thought angrily. But he cooled down quickly when he noticed she was shivering. He wanted to take a step closer, he wanted to hug her and make her feel better but he felt so awkward that he just stayed rooted to the spot.

"Ya know that it's the right thing to do, don't ya?" Daryl asked softly.

She looked at him and he saw the single tear running down her cheek. Carol nodded. Daryl reached out and wiped the tear away. He shuddered at the feel of her skin, it was soft like a velvet.

"We'll be all right."

She leaned into his palm and closed her eyes.

"You don't believe it Daryl, I can see it in your face."

Once again he was surprised how well she can read him. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"This is my family Daryl. When I lost Sophia, I would never think I could feel anything like this again. Feel loved, needed, feel that I belong somewhere…," her voice broke and Carol paused to take a shaky breath, "and now you're asking me to give it all up all again, asking me to let you die here. Does any of you realize what it will do to me?"

Her blue eyes were radiating such agony that Daryl could swear it physically hurt him too. She tried to hold the tears back and reached out for his hand.

"Come back to me," she whispered.

Before he could realize what he was doing, he bent down and pressed his lips to hers. He was so shocked by his action that he wanted to pull away immediately but his body didn't seem to care at all, what his dazed brain wanted. He could say he completely surprised her as well because he felt her stiffen. But it took only couple of seconds before she relaxed and leaned into his kiss. His tongue was hesitantly asking for entrance and his self-control went to hell in the speed of light, when she parted her lips and moaned into his mouth. She tasted like heaven and Daryl felt his knees buckling. He cupped her face and Carol wrapped her arms around his neck, crushing her body into his. The blood was roaring in her ears and she felt goose bumps all over her body. She had never felt so alive and the irony of the moment brought fresh tears into her eyes. Daryl was fiercely kissing her with a longing he'd never experienced before and he was desperately trying to burn into his brain every single detail about the woman he held in his arms. When they finally broke their kiss, both of them were breathing heavily, looking at each other in disbelief.

Daryl reached for her again when Glenn's shout resounded in the prison.

"They're coming!"

Daryl groaned and cursed. Carol's hear sank, instinctively reaching for Daryl.

"Stay safe woman."


	19. Never be the same

**Thank you so much for all your kind reviews! I would never hope that some of you might actually really follow the story, it means really very much to me! Please keep reviewing...is the story getting better or worse? I plan on writing couple more chapters before I wrap it up so I hope you'll enjoy the rest as well!**

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It was still dark outside. The whole group was up in a second when Glenn appeared at the door. He was trying to catch his breath.

"Three trucks, two heavy machine guns."

Rick nodded.

"Nothing we didn't expect. Stick to the plan, don't take any risks, all we need to do is to drive them off."

Judith started wailing in her crib and Rick's shoulders slouched.

"Daryl, Glenn and I will take the shooting stands. Michonne, Maggie, Carl and Carol will form the second line of defense. Make sure you will stay covered, fire only when you're certain you'll hit the target. If we get caught in a heavy fire and the first line falls, fall back into the prison and try to make it to the cars through the corridor, we made sure it's cleared."

Rick paused and looked at each one of them.

"If it really gets bad, hand over the guns and give up…hopefully they will spare women and children."

Carol felt a knot in her stomach and was afraid she would collapse before it all even started.

"Carol," Rick looked directly at her, "your car is ready, and I'll leave it up to you to decide the right moment. Andrea will be already in the car. Carl will stick by your side and Beth will be back in the prison with Judith and Hershel."

Carol swallowed and nodded. This all seemed too unreal. She was still in daze from Daryl's kiss and suddenly she was standing alone, listening to the instructions how to make it out alive from the oncoming slaughter. She felt sick and her eyes were desperately looking for Daryl's face in the dim light of prison. She didn't have to search for too long. He was staring directly at her, his body tense, mutely pleading her to follow Rick's instructions.

They heard the roaring of the cars and ran outside towards whatever was awaiting them.

* * *

The whole place was a chaos. Deep thundering sound of hundreds of fired bullets filled the pre-dawn air with such frequency that Carol didn't dare to poke out her head and motioned Carl to stay down. She knew she should be focusing but she couldn't help it and kept scanning the yard for Daryl. She had all three shooting stands in front of her and he took the one on the right. As well as the others, he was just hopelessly crouching behind the barricade, waiting for the heaviest fire to cease.

She saw him tense and he turned his head in the direction of sound she couldn't hear yet. When she finally heard it, the soft hair on the back of her neck stood up and she covered her mouth to muffle a cry. Dozens of walkers were making their way into the yard through the open gate. The sound of the battle must have attracted the large herd passing by.

The line of Governor's men was slowly falling apart as they started fighting off the walkers. It gave the group a unique opportunity to shoot back. The air was filled with the cries of living people dying and the croaks of the dead coming back to life. First few walkers got to Glenn and he took them down with an angry shout.

The strategy was soon forgotten as both sides were fiercely fighting against each other and at the same time fighting against their mutual enemy.

This was insane. The world had come to an end and here they were, fighting against living people, when mankind had become endangered species.

Carol had never stopped wondering about the amount of brutality present in each human-being. She had been going through hell with Ed, but it was nothing compared to the blind raging madness she saw in the eyes of some people attacking them. She took a side glance at Carl. The boy had his look fixed on his father's back and he was aiming at people, not walkers. Were they all slowly but inevitably turning into soulless and unscrupulous monsters, much worse than the ones walking the earth in bloodthirsty herds?

Carol crouched again and pushed back the strong urge to cover her ears and run away. She took a deep breath and squeezed the rifle. She needed to fight for her family, she couldn't face herself is she didn't help them while she still could.

She motioned to Carl and they waited for a few moments before quickly moving behind one of the barricades. She could see Maggie on her right, shooting with lethal accuracy. She again realized what an impressive fighter the young woman had become. She was none the worse than men. Carol saw a walker approaching Maggie from the left. She quickly aimed and fired, sending the walker to the ground. Despite the situation they were in, Carol couldn't help but smirk. Daryl trained her well. Maggie was startled and smiled at Carol gratefully. Michonne was on her left, but the woman definitely didn't need any help. Her catana was truly horrifying weapon and she had never seen anybody mastering it the way Michonne could.

It didn't take long before it was clear they were losing. Carol could see their movements becoming more and more heavy-footed and their faces under the layers of sweat and dirt were clearly exhausted. But the number of the Governor's men and walkers didn't seem to get any smaller.

They were out of ammo, they were outnumbered, they were defeated. Carol couldn't wait any longer. Her eyes desperately tried to penetrate the thick smoke coming from smoke grenades. She needed to see him. She needed to know he was alright before she would leave.

Carol could feel desperate tears streaming down her face when she could not get her bearings in the chaos. Bullets ripped through the thick air. Her head was throbbing from the pervasive screams all around them and she could smell the unmistakable tang of rotten bodies. She heard Glenn's painful shout from somewhere in front of her but when she turned in that direction but couldn't see anything.

Carol checked on Carl, but the boy kept his word he'd given to his father and was just beside her. She grabbed his arm and they started backing out. Suddenly she heard a whizzing sound followed by a thump just behind them. She cried out and turned sharply to found a walker body tumbled at their feet with an arrow sticking out of his head. She gasped and turned rapidly to scan the area, which the arrow had come from. She could finally see him, half covered in smoke, looking at her, about thirty yards away on her left. Only Carl standing by her side stopped her from running directly to him. He nodded shortly and started turning away from her, when another load of bullets cut the air.

She looked in horror as Daryl's body jerked and he fell to his knees, sending confused and incredulous look towards her before collapsing to the ground.

"Daryl!" she was sure that the world had stopped when she yelled his name. She felt an icy hand clenching her heart. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think, she just kept starring at Daryl's motionless body.

"Carol," scared voice right next to her barely got through the heavy fog enveloping her brain, "Carol, we need to get Judith and Beth and retreat to the car."

She looked down at Carl, who was now dragging her away. She pulled her arm free with almost gentle tug.

"Lie down Carl and stay put, I'll be back in a sec," her own voice sounded foreign to her. Her brain somehow managed to maintain the basic functions as she watched Carl do as told. She turned and without a second thought started sprinting towards Daryl's crumbled body. Somewhere in the corner of her tortured brain she knew he would kick her ass for risking her life like this but she didn't care about anything anymore.

She was halfway to him when she suddenly felt a strong arm wrapping around her waist, lifting her off the ground.

"Carol, don't!" Rick hissed into her ear and pinned her to the dusty ground. All the emotions she didn't know she was holding spurted out. She attempted to break free from Rick's grip and tried to crawl towards Daryl's body, which was so close and yet so far, but Rick held her tight. She screamed, she scratched and kicked, sobbing sounds coming from somewhere within the depth of her soul.

"Carol please…," Rick was crushing her in tight embrace, rocking her tiny body with his, "please don't…"

It took her a few precious moments to realize that she wasn't the only one sobbing. She looked at him and tried to clear her blurred vision. He looked a shell of a man she'd met in the camp. She fully realized how much weight he'd lost and how much the worry had greyed his hair. Suddenly she wasn't sure if she was crying for Daryl, Rick or herself. She cupped his face and pressed her forehead against his, their tears mixing.

"My children…Carol…please save my children," his eyes were squeezed tight as he was desperately trying to control the trembling.

"I can't leave him like this," the fresh tears started rolling down her cheeks, "I can't let him…" She wasn't able to finish the sentence and crumbled into Rick's arms again.

"I'll take care of it. I won't let him turn, I promise," Rick's voice broke, "please take my children to the safety."

Carol nodded and with shaking hands pulled out the small knife Daryl had given her, handing it over to Rick. She looked at Carl, who was still obediently lying on the ground, watching them with eyes wide open. She hugged Rick tightly and with the last look towards Daryl, she headed back, while Rick backed her up.

When she reached Carl, she took his hand and they quickly ran into the prison.

"Carol, are you all right?" Carl's voice was full of concern. She automatically nodded and urged him to move faster. She didn't feel anything.

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**Sorry for the cliffhanher! But it's almost midnight here and I need to go to work tomorrow so I am off to bed. Will update soon!**


	20. Lost and found

Beth knew the second Carol with Carl entered the prison that something had gone terribly wrong. Seeing Carol coming to get her and Judith was bad enough as it meant they were losing their battle for the prison, but something in Carol's expression made her stomach drop.

There was no time for questions or worries; time had become the most valuable commodity now. Beth was already prepared, holding Judith tightly. The travel bag with most important baby stuff was ready on the bunk bed. Carol saw Hershel squeezing his younger daughter's shoulder. He was trying hard to keep his composure but Carol could see his kind eyes filled with tears.

Carol hugged the old man quickly.

"Maggie is alright Hershel. And I promise I'll look after Beth."

She knew that her words were little comfort to him but at least she could provide some. There was no comfort for her and she again felt the ice-cold despair clenching her guts. She slowly swallowed a sob rising in her throat. She was afraid that if she started crying now, she could never stop.

She watched Beth saying goodbye to her father and they headed for the car, where Andrea was already waiting.

They agreed to leave the tracks for any survivor from their group, who could follow them. Daryl had taught her how to leave the tracks hardly noticeable for an untrained eye but clear for him. Back then she hadn't doubt that he would have found them. He always had.

Carol touched her lips unknowingly but the sweet memory was immediately pushed back by the vivid picture of his body hitting the ground. She knew that it had burnt into her brain and would never go away. She stumbled, as her mind was desperately trying to hold on to short moment of sheer happiness, they'd shared before the hell had broken out.

Beth quickly glanced at her, uncertainty and fear written all over her face. Carol took a deep breath and looked at two teenagers and baby with her. Judith started fussing in Beth's arms. She must do it. She must lead them all to the safety as she'd promised.

The car was ready and waiting for them exactly on the spot Rick had described. The sounds of turmoil from the front yard of the prison were still loud.

Andrea was already in the back seat, sleeping. She was so bashed up and weak that she spent half of the time semi-conscious or sleeping.

Carol motioned Carl to take the passenger seat; Beth would be sitting in the back with Andrea and the baby.

Carol tuned her back to the car and took one last look at the prison when she heard Beth cry out.

"Well, well…it's finally becoming interesting."

The melodic baritone cut through Carol's brain like a knife. She'd never met him, but she knew beyond any doubt who she was dealing with. She slowly turned to a tall man with a black eye patch. Two of his men were standing close behind him, pointing their guns at Carl and Beth.

"I don't think we had an opportunity to meet but I will make sure I'll make it up to all of you," his forcedly polite voice sent a jolt of fear right down her spine.

"Would you mind joining me?" the Governor waved towards their jeep. Carol was so shocked that she couldn't force herself to move. Judith started crying and the inquiring look the man sent towards Beth and the baby, made Carol sick.

'This isn't happening, this isn't happening, this isn't happening', her thoughts were incoherently flying through her head. She'd lost so much already, what would be the last straw? When would her body, her mind just shut down, when would this sorrowful existence finally end?

Rick wasn't right; the Governor's men had checked the other side of the prison.

No matter how hard they tried, no matter what they did, there was always somebody faster, better armed, somebody who wanted to ruin their little family.

Carol shivered when she realized how vulnerable and lost she felt without Daryl by her side. Three children and wounded woman were relying on her now and she had no idea what to do.

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Carl's hand slowly moving towards the knife behind his belt.

"Carl!" she scolded him and snatched the knife. He glanced at her furiously. She was impressed by boy's courage but this hopeless attempt would have been a straight way to hell for all of them.

The Governor watched Carl wordlessly, suddenly taking a long step towards him. Carol quickly stepped in, pushed Carl behind her and held out the knife and her gun in shaking hands, motioning to Beth to do the same. For an instant the man's face twisted and Carol felt unspeakable jab of panic running though her. Something was very wrong with this man, she could just feel it. He raised his hand and Carol closed her eyes. Being hit was nothing she couldn't deal with. The man seemed to be considering his options for a while, then dropped his hand back to his side and stared hard at his two men. Carol drew ina shaky breath.

Finally he shook his head, grabbed Carol and Carl by shoulders and sharply pushed them towards their jeep. One of the Governor's men did the same with Beth and the other one took unconsciousness Andrea out of their car.

Just before reaching the jeep, the Governor suddenly pressed Carl violently against the car and the boy let out a hiss of pain.

"You'd better listen to your mother boy, otherwise I swear I will have you wailing and praying you have never been born, do you understand me?"

Carol tensed, hoping that Carl wouldn't correct the Governor's suggestion that she was his mother. Letting him know he'd just got hold of his enemy's children, would have got them into even more serious situation. But Carl was quiet, nodding mutely and dropping his eyes to his boots.

"Order our men to retreat. We're just wasting our time and ammo here," the Governor looked at the little group of his hostages and smile lightened up his face, "they will come to Woodbury themselves soon enough. Then it will be the right time to throw a welcome party."

* * *

Rick couldn't believe what was happening. The army suddenly started to withdraw from the yard and before he had a chance to understand what was going on, they got into their cars and were gone.

He stood there for a moment, not believing his own eyes.

"Rick, the gate!" Michonne's voice woke him from his lethargy and he sprinted to the gate, leaning against it.

"I need a chain!'

Michonne was already running to him, waving her lethal catana and slaughtering walkers on the way. Together they secured the gate and look around them, breathing heavily. Rick rubbed his eyes and closed them for a while. Corpses and walkers were scattered everywhere, partly hidden in the smoke still coming out of smoke grenades. A few walkers were still staggering in the yard and Rick with Michonne automatically took them down.

They were frightened by a loud sob coming from Maggie, who was sitting hidden behind one of the barricades, so they couldn't see her at first. She was cradling Glenn's head in her lap as he was unconsciously lying on the ground. Rick's heart dropped and he was by her side in a second. Michonne was keeping her distance, making sure the yard was cleared.

"Is he…?" Rick wasn't able to finish the sentence. After losing Daryl, he was simply not able to accept another death.

Maggie abruptly wiped the tears off her face and shook her head.

"He got shot into the shoulder, he will be OK, just passed out," Maggie mumbled shakily, "I'm sorry…it was just too much, I can't…"

The girl was trying hard to regain her composure but failed pitifully. Rick felt the wave of relief washing over him. He squeezed her shoulder encouragingly.

"Michonne will help you get Glenn to Hershel. You will be both all right."

He looked at Michonne, who didn't hesitate and helped him to pull up Glenn's dead weight and positioned him between her and Maggie.

"Michonne, when you get Glenn to Hershel, please check the back yard, they still might be there."

The thought of his childen, Carol and Andrea leaving just before the end of the battle was killing him and he was trying to push it back as long as he could.

Michonne nodded and looked at Rick quizzically.

"I'll be right behind you, I have to finish something here," Rick's voice trembled and he felt Carol's knife burning a hole into his side, where he put it into the sheath.

Michonne's eyes grew wide as she'd just realized Daryl wasn't with them. She quickly darted her eyes back to the ground , but Rick didn't miss the glint of compassion he'd seen in them. His son was right, she was one of them.

He took a deep breath, turned towards Daryl's body and started walking slowly. He hadn't turned yet. He must have been fighting it till the very last moment. When he finally reached his friend, all his strength left him. He fell to his knees and tried to fight a sob building in his chest.

Daryl was a mess. His face was dirty as hell and his sleeveless shirt was soaked with his blood. Small puddle of blood was slowly forming under his motionless body. Rick was remorsefully watching his friend, who had nothing to do with an angry redneck he'd met back at the quarry, and couldn't help tears welling up in his eyes. He shakily tried to feel Daryl's pulse, but soon dropped his wrist in despair.

The group would have never made it so far without Daryl. He'd kept them fed and had kept them safe. Despite his tough and grumpy outside he'd been a small beacon of light, when the life had become even more desperate than it'd already been, his common sense and focus on reality keeping them sane. He'd kept alive their hopes they'd have found Sophia and had searched for her restlessly. And it had again been Daryl, who had held the group together when Rick had collapsed after Lori's death. Rick had seen almost all sides of this man; he'd seen him angry, amused, heartbroken and lately he'd thought he'd seen him falling in love, no matter how fiercely Daryl would have denied it. Rick still wondered how far Daryl had come and the wave of desperation forced a sob out of his chest. He grasped Daryl's arm and looked at Carol's knife he was clutching in his other hand. He couldn't do it like this. He wasn't able to shove the knife into his skull. Rick stood up and took out his gun, his vision blurred.

"What the fuck man?" the voice coming from the ground was hoarse and full of suppressed pain, "I survive another fuckin' gunshot from that son of a bitch and ya still wanna blow my brains out?"

Daryl coughed, tried to spit out some blood and paused exhaustedly, closing his eyes again: "I definitely wouldn't make _that_, I can tell ya."

For a moment Rick earnestly thought his hallucinations had come back to torture him over and over again. It was when Daryl coughed again; he realized that the man on the ground was still alive. Barely, but still holding on.

He fell to his knees again, grabbing the sides of Daryl's head, forcing him to open his eyes.

"How is it possible? I checked your pulse! I was sure you were dead, I almost shot you for god's sake!" Rick was now sreaming into his face.

Daryl snorted.

"Fuck...ya'd make a shitty nurse..."

Rick started to laugh hysterically and he both wanted to hug the wounded man and punch him into face for scaring the hell out of him.

"You are tough son of a bitch Daryl," Rick laughed through his tears he could help no more.

They drove the Governor's men out once and they can do it again. He suddenly felt the confidence he hadn't felt for a long time.

"Told ya only Dixon can kill Dixon," Daryl whispered, feeling his strength leaving him quickly.

He was groggily looking at Rick, who was still staring down at him in disbelief. Daryl was clenching his teeth as the waves of agonizing pain were washing over him.

"Gonna help me or what, Sleepin' Beauty?" With these words Daryl finally passed out.


	21. Waiting

**Hi guys! I am REALLY really sorry for not updating so long! It's been a hell of a week at work:-( I hope that there are still some readers left out there and I promise I'll try to update more often, there are no more than one or two chapters left.**

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The first day wasn't as bad as Carol had feared. They'd locked them in the decent room with three mattresses, some blankets and there was even a sink with running water. Later on, one the Governor's men had given them some unfitting but clean clothes. The most importantly, they'd left them all together for now.

Carol let out a small sigh of frustration. She didn't know what to do first. She tried to talk to Carl, who was still mad at her for taking his gun and stopping his attempt to kill the Governor. She was hovering over Andrea, who was still unconscious and tried to help Beth with wailing baby. On the other hand, she was grateful for all this work that kept her mind off Daryl and the rest of her family in the prison.

It was late at night when they finally laid down. Judith was sleeping peacefully and Carl drifted off as soon as his head touched the mattress. Carol was desperately fighting the sleep, afraid what her dreams would bring her. She heard Beth shifting on the other mattress she shared with Carl.

"Carol?"

"Hmm?" Carol didn't really want to talk to the girl but she knew she owed her some answers.

"What happened out there?"

"We were outnumbered, out of ammo, defeated. Exactly as we feared," she heard Beth gasp in the dark, but Carol carried on, "Glenn was hurt but when I last saw them, he was alive and Maggie, Michonne and Rick were all right."

Beth was silent; she knew what leaving out Daryl's name meant. Carol's shoulders started to shiver. Beth wordlessly moved on her mattress and hugged her tightly when their tears started to flow.

Carol woke up early next morning. She felt her face was swollen from the crying last night, but she was grateful she managed to get any sleep at all. She gently shook Beth and Carl awake. Judith and Andrea were still fast asleep. Teenagers stretched and tried to rub the sleep from their eyes. Finally they sat up and looked at her.

She felt awkward. They were waiting for her guidance, assurance and advice. But how could she encourage them now? How could she assure them everything would be all right, if she'd lost all her hope and strenght in a split of a second when Daryl's had body hit the ground? How could she make them believe in better days, when she was once and for all confident that her life had been just a cruel joke? How could she admit to them that for the first time she was thinking about opting out?

When she'd lost Sophia, she had Daryl. No matter how uncomfortable and uneasy he'd felt around people, for some strange and unknown reason, he'd become her touchstone, her ray of sanity she could always turn to when her inner demons threatened to tear her apart. She'd been doing what she could to return him this favor and although he'd never told her openly, she knew she'd succeeded in this task.

But now there was no one to turn to and she felt dull emptiness spreading into her limbs again.

"Carol?" Beth voice was no more than a whisper but it was enough to rouse her from her thoughts. Carol squeezed her eyes shut tight and took a deep breath. She had no one to turn to, but there were people relying on her and she would be damned if she let them down.

She looked at Beth and Carl.

"The Governor wants to use us as live bait, but I've got no idea what he's planning to do with us in the meantime."

She noticed Carl's jaw harden and he took Beth's hand. The boy was really growing into a mini copy of his father.

"It's possible they will be questioning us. Tell them everything they want to know apart from the fact I'm not your mother," she eyed Carl worriedly, but boy had seemed to get over his anger for now and was listening to her carefully, "we have nothing to hide anymore, just tell them anything they want to know. Do what it takes to keep them from hurting you. We need to be all right when the help comes or until we find out how to get out of here."

Carol sighed and looked at Beth. She didn't know how to put it; she'd never had a chance to come into this stage with Sophia.

The girl was beautiful, just blossoming between a girl and young woman.

"Beth….if they want to…," Carol felt the panic rising just at the thought of Beth being hurt this way, "if they want to touch you…threaten them with the Governor. The man is not right in his head but I don't think he is a rapist. And his men fear him."

Carol finally got it out of her chest and searched Beth's face. The girl was shaken but she took the information calmly and nodded.

* * *

Daryl felt like his body didn't belong to him. His mind was floating in the time and space, desperately trying to focus on anything else but overwhelming pain grasping his body. He remembered bits and pieces but no matter how hard he tried, he was not able to put together the complex picture. The events of past several hours were overlapping, disappearing and appearing again and at the end colliding into confusing tangle, which only made his headache worse.

He remembered the Governor's army, the trucks and heavy armory they'd brought with them. He recalled a fear that had been paralyzing his limbs before the fight had even started. He had never feared his own death, but the deadly danger his people had found themselves in, had been suddenly making him nauseous. He cared and had failed thoroughly by pretending he hadn't.

And he did remember the kiss. He still felt her warm body pressed against his and he would never forget the way she'd responded to his kiss. Carol had permanently marked his lips, ensuring him there had been nothing she'd wanted more than him, kissing him back with the same ferocity he'd been kissing her, knowing the tomorrow might have never come. Hell, he'd never felt more alive than in that short moment of bliss and he'd never wanted more to _stay_ alive. For her, for them, for the hope that the world hadn't been so screwed up as he'd thought, if he'd managed to find such a kind and beautiful woman caring for him. He'd wanted to stay alive for everything that little confession of theirs had promised.

He tried hard to open his eyes, to assure them he was going to be fine, to look at her and promise her he would do anything to keep her safe.

But somewhere deep in his mind he recognized that the hands, slowly nurturing him back to health, didn't belong to Carol. They were gentle and caring but didn't linger on his arms or on his forehead a bit longer than necessary as Carol's hands always did.

She wasn't there and he felt it. He groaned in pain and his eyelids fluttered.

"Dad, he's waking up!" Maggie's yell drilled a hole into his brain and he shut his eyes quickly.

When he came around again, he saw Maggie, Hershel and Rick tilting over him.

"You really are made of sterner stuff, son. We thought we've lost you," Hershel's voice was kind and assuring, "you have been very lucky."

"What the hell happened?" Daryl's voice was rather a hoarse whisper.

"You got shot in your side. Fortunately the bullet went clearly through and didn't hit any important body organs. However, you've lost a great amount of blood and almost died on the table when Hershel was trying to put you together," Rick explained.

Daryl nodded, easily locating the source of the strongest pain in his side. He'd been beaten, he'd been scratched by the bullet and he'd had his bones broken. But none of it could match up with agonizing pain he was feeling now. He clenched his teeth and his eyes rolled back.

"We have no pain killers left. I divided the last dose between you and Glenn, I'm sorry Daryl," Hershel murmured apologetically, flinching at Daryl's obvious discomfort.

"Where's the rest of the group?"

Daryl tried to turn around but it was too exhausting so he fixed his eyes on Rick. He saw him exchanging a quick look with Maggie and Hershel.

"You should rest Daryl. We will talk later," Rick tried to brush off his question quickly.

Daryl's eyes narrowed suspiciously and his stomach knotted.

"Where's Carol?"

Rick was staring on the ground and he sighed heavily: "It would be really better if…"

Daryl just glared at him hard and Rick shook his head: "The Governor has kidnapped them…Beth, Andrea, Carol, Carl and Judith. Glen was shot, but the bullet hit the shoulder so he should be OK sooner than you."

Daryl felt his head spinning and he thought he was going to puke. He tried to sit up but the frantic pain shot right into his brain and he collapsed back into the pillows, passing out again.

* * *

They were questioning them, one by one. They took them to a different room, filthy dim place with one chair in the middle. The Governor wasn't present at the interrogation and his men were asking the same questions over and over again. How big their group was, how many guns they had, where they went for the runs and they had to draw the plan of prison. However, nobody had touched them and little flame of hope lit in Carol's heart.

Andrea was getting better any day and if they managed to stay out of the Governor's interest long enough, with her help and knowledge of Woodbury they could try to escape.

* * *

Hershel watched his patient with a deep concern. Daryl had been in and out for couple of days now, never staying awake long enough to listen to their arguments, why they hadn't tried to get their people from Woodbury yet, cursing angrily and trying to get up from bed, only accomplishing to knock himself out again.

"If he does that one more time, I'll tie him to the bed. He's never going to heal like this," Hershel sighed and looked at Rick. He didn't know if he should worry more about the wounded man in bed or Rick.

"He's is stubborn ass, that's why he's still alive. But if he keeps up this shit, I will knock him out myself."

Rick hardly got any sleep lately and was constantly irritated. The thought of his children in the Governor's hands was ripping him apart and every minute of useless waiting was an agony.

It was Michonne, who'd stopped him from going on the suicide mission. He'd taken off for Woodbury as soon as they'd dragged Daryl and Glenn inside and he'd learnt they'd been missing, although the car was parked in the same spot.

When she'd run after him and tried to convince him to stop and think about it, he hadn't paid any attention to her. He'd stopped only when he'd heard unmistakable sound of a gun being pulled out of holster. He'd frozen in his track and turned around in a split of a second, drawing his gun as well.

They'd held the guns at each other.

"What the hell you think you are doing?" Rick hissed under his breath.

"Saving your life. Or giving you better death than the Governor would give you. The choice's yours," Michonne's voice didn't quiver.

Somewhere behind enraged haze enveloping Rick's brain, he'd known she'd been right.

"We can sneak in with a bit of luck, but once we get inside, it will take more than two of us to find where he's holding them and to handle problems we will definitely run into. Maggie needs time to recover and Glenn and Daryl needs to heal."

It was probably the longest speech Rick had heard from Michonne and she hadn't seem comfortable with it either. She'd looked at him and waited for his answer.

He'd rubbed his temples angrily and cursed, still aiming the gun at her.

"Rick…the son of a bitch wants you. If you get yourself killed now, he'll have no reason to keep them alive."

Rick had lowered his gun and suddenly dropped to his knees, hiding his face in his hands, desperate sob escaping his lips.

Michonne had watched him hesitantly, then turned and walked back to the prison.

Rick flinched when he remembered his display of weakness in front of Michonne. But she was right and waiting was all he could do at the moment.

Daryl was awake again. Rick came to his bed and put a hand on his shoulder, keeping him down.

"Knock it off Daryl, the sooner you get better, the sooner we will go to get our people back."

"That fuckin' son of a bitch is mine when we get there," Daryl whispered through the clenched teeth.

Rick looked at Michonne.

"Whoever gets to him first."

* * *

They had been held in Woodbury for a week and they were treating them well. They kept them fed, warm and even provided baby formula for Judith when they'd run out of their supplies. There were days when they even didn't take them to the interrogating room and left them alone all day long.

It was at the beginning of the second week, when one of the Governor's men took Carol to the questioning session again.

Her breath caught in her throat when the door opened and she saw the Governor. They pushed her into the chair and he waved her guard off.

She'd learnt to read people quite well over the years and what she saw in him started a creeping panic at the bottom of her spine. When he spoke, the panic started slowly spreading all over her body.

"Well…I'll be honest with you Carol…," his voice was giving her the shivers, "Carol Peletier, is it right?"

His voice was low and calm and she forced herself to nod.

"Widow, lost her husband and daughter more than a year ago," he rubbed his chin and looked into her eyes, "your husband was an abusive bully but your daughter was a sweet little girl, put down by our common friend Rick."

Carol swallowed hard when he mentioned Sophia's name and she focused hard on the crack in the wall to fight the tears that suddenly threatened to spill. He must have got all this personal information from Carl or Beth. She'd been the one urging them to answer everything so she shouldn't have been surprised.

"The kids like you. They say you worked hard in the prison and how kind you are," he smiled and approached her, running his forefinger down her cheek. Carol shivered.

"There's no time and place for kindness in this world, lady," he leaned down and whispered into her ear, "I'll do you a favor and will try to help you to understand this."

Carol shut her eyes. Whatever he had in mind, it was not going to be good for her. What would happen to children and Andrea if he killed her? Would be Andrea already strong enough to try to save them?

"There's always place and time for kindness and for love. Look what you've created here in Woodbury," she looked up and tried to concentrate on saying anything reasonable, which would prevent him from hurting her.

The Governor smiled.

"It's all just an illusion. Kindness and love will make you weak and vulnerable. And will get you killed. The sooner you understand the better."

He watched in amusement, how hard was the tiny woman in front of him trying to think of topic, which wouldn't set him off.

"Like that white trash I killed in the prison, you know?" he was thoroughly enjoying her reaction.

It took some skills to find out from the kids the relations' tangle in the prison, but he'd found out that this hardly noticeable fragile woman had a soft spot for Merle's younger brother he'd shot during the attack on the prison.

Carol's eyes widened and she took in a shaky breath.

"I must say that the redneck was far from being as clever as his older brother. He could have lived, if he hadn't stood up to shoot the walker behind you and the boy. That's where love and kindness lead, see?"

His voice was causal as he was observing her carefully. Oh yes, he'd just hit a spot.

Carol felt the droplets of sweat running down her back and the room was spinning around her.

Daryl…it was her fault; it was her who had his blood on her hands. If she'd been more careful and spotted the walker behind them…

A silent sob escaped her throat and she hid her face in her hands.

Before she could think about what she was going to do, she balled her hands into the fists and threw herself on the man in front of her, desperately trying to cause him the same pain he was causing her.

She heard his surprised chuckle and then the pain swallowed her head as he stepped aside and hit her hard into the temple. She fell to his feet, groaning in pain.

"And it brings me back to the beginning. I'm tired of waiting and I want to have some fun with my new friends."


	22. Waiting II

**Hi guys! Here comes another chapter and as usual I'm sorry it took so long to update:-( There are just one or two chapters left before I wrap it up so I hope I won't disappoint you. Thank you very much for all your reviews, they mean everything to me!**

* * *

Carol curled into a ball when the blows started to rain. The years with Ed had trained her well enough. She lied motionlessly, hiding her head in her arms and protecting her ribs, careful not to do anything what would infuriate the man even more. She felt metallic taste of blood in her mouth and spat it out. She groaned when she received exceptionally hard kick into her stomach and with that he grabbed the collar of her shirt and pulled her up roughly, bringing his nose inches from his own face.

"You are used to being a punchbag, right?" he hissed into her face, "I'll have to think of something better for you darling. But don't you worry, I'm not going to kill you. I will gladly render this pleasure to your friends."

Carol tried to concentrate on his words but she was aching all over and her vision was blurred. He dropped her on the ground again and wiped off his bloody knuckles on the handkerchief he pulled out of his pocket.

One of his men dragged her back into the room they were sharing. She heard Beth's piercing shout and then she felt somebody supporting her, but she was too exhausted to open her eyes.

Carl laid her gently on the mattress. He was violently shaking with anger. He looked at the door and then back to beaten Carol. His father would have come up with something, would have found the way out of here, his father would have _fought._

He got up and decisively went to the door. Beth lifted her head and froze:

"Carl, what are you doing?"

"Gotta do something," Carl replied through his clenched teeth.

"Carl don't, they'll kill you," Beth didn't manage to hide the panic in her voice and Carol, who felt Beth's tremor, opened her eyes too.

Before she could manage to stop Carl, Andrea's weak voice startled them all.

"Carl…if you draw his attention to yourself, he will slowly torture you to death. He will take his time and nothing will stop him…your age, your begging…nothing. He's just waiting for an opportunity, look what he's done to Carol and me."

Beth shivered at her words but sighed in relief when Carl stopped hesitantly and looked back at three women behind him. But before he could say anything, the door swung open and five men came in.

Carol tried to focus on what was happening around her but it was getting more and more difficult as her head was throbbing mercilessly and she felt that her right eye started swelling up. It was when she felt a pair of strong hands on her arms and realized they wanted to separate them.

Carl kicked the man who grabbed him and tried to sneak past him towards the door, which only earned him a hard punch to his stomach and the boy collapsed to the ground. Beth screamed and tried to fight her guard too.

"Beth! Calm down! There's no point in fighting them," it was Andrea again, trying to talk some sense into the youngsters, while one of the guards was already dragging her towards the door.

Judith's wail cut through the air and Carol's senses suddenly sharpened as she rushed towards the baby, her aching body protesting violently. She shielded the baby with her body but couldn't help and chuckled ironically when she saw a big bald man approaching her. She stood no chance and she knew it. She looked over her shoulder at Judith and her eyes welled up with tears. The next moment the darkness embraced her.

* * *

Carol woke up only for long enough to realize that she was alone in some cold and dark room. The pain hit her again and she huddled her knees closer to her chest with a muffled sob. She tried to hold the sobs in her chests but eventually gave up, hiding face in her hands and bursting into tears. The life had never been easy on her but she had never felt worse than now.

She was broken useless woman, abandoned in the middle of apocalypse. She'd stayed alive and had to watch all her loved ones die. She didn't deserve to stay alive instead of them. She didn't know what she'd done so wrong to be punished this way. To lose her little girl, only to find her turned and being shot in front of her eyes. And she definitely didn't deserve to stay here instead of Daryl. Daryl, who had been so well equipped for survival in this world. Harsh, unpredictable, complicated man, who'd stolen her heart the night, when her desperate muffled cries had driven him out into the woods to look for her Sophia in the middle of the night.

She tried to remember his kiss, his body pressed to hers; she was trying to hold on to any good memory. But her brain didn't seem to cooperate, covering all her attempts under the thick mantle of dizziness and pain. They'd had their chances but they'd wasted them all. The time was up now.

* * *

Glenn was getting better and better every day, his shoulder healing quickly, much to Maggie's delight. Daryl had eventually understood that he needed to stay put to get better and he let Hershel took care of him, silently suffering from attention the rest of the group was paying him.

Frustrated beyond belief by his temporary incapableness, Daryl had had a terrible quarrel with Rick one day. Daryl could have felt Rick's irritation and he could have told the poor man had been tortured every minute, which had passed, while he had been sitting helplessly in the prison.

But it all had just added to Daryl's pent-up frustration and before he'd known it, he'd ended up yelling at Rick that he should have gone to Woodbury to get their people back right after the Governor's men had left. Daryl had known he hadn't been right and fair to him, but he hadn't been able to stop himself, once the words had left his mouth, letting the fear for Carol, Andrea and the kids cloud his judgment.

He'd been taken aback, when Rick had stormed to his bedside and Daryl had known he'd never been closer to getting his ass kicked by Rick. But with a steel self-control, which only Rick had possessed; he'd got his emotions under control and had left.

Unlike Michonne. She had scolded Daryl like a little boy, calling him insensitive and ignorant idiot, which Daryl had meekly accepted, already feeling like an asshole. But he also couldn't have helped it and smirked, realizing that it had been his unjustifiable behavior that had made the quiet woman put together more than two sentences. Michonne had just wiped off his grin with another scold.

Daryl had apologized to Rick later on and the argument had cleared the air in the prison but still hadn't eased the waiting for his recovery.

* * *

The Governor's men came and went, sometimes bringing her food and water, sometimes beating her, especially when she asked about the others.

She knew it wasn't smart to provoke them, but she thought she'd heard Carl's cry in the other room and she had to find out if they were still alive.

The Governor didn't return to her since the first beating and she wasn't sure wheter to be relieved or afraid that he'd picked another victim.

She knew it was just a matter of time before they beat them to death, kill them or rape them, and she was desperately praying for more time.

* * *

Merle wrinkled his forehead when he heard a baby wailing behind the door. He was quite certain there hadn't been any newborn children recently in Woodbury. With his good hand he grabbed the man, who trying to sneak past him.

He wasn't the most popular guy since his return to Woodbury, people didn't believe him. But he didn't give a shit about people, he'd gain the Governor's trust again, although having to pay a heavy price, and that was all what mattered.

"Whose's that fuckin' kid yellin' behind that door?"

The man hunched forward under Merle's unexpected attack, obviously knowing nothing. Merle let him go, grunting in disgust.

"Bunch of useless idiots, aren't ya?" he cursed under his breath as he grabbed a door handle and slowly pull it down. He was surprised when the door cracked and opened. He looked around and when he was sure nobody could seem him, he stepped in the room.

It was a hot stuffy room with a travel cot in the middle. The bottles with baby formula and diapers were laid on the small table next to the cot. There was also a rocking chair with a huge pillow. He peeked into the cot and swallowed hard, not able to believe the twists of fortune. There, cheeks flushed and yelling her lungs out, was lying Rick Grime's infant daughter. All he had to do was to wait unless Officer Friendly marches directly into his waiting arms. There had been just one plan, which hadn't fallen through yet. It was revenge.

Merle knew that the kid wasn't in Woodbury alone. He wanted to enter the room just next to the Judith's, but it was locked. He cursed and took out a thin wire from his pocket and the door let go in a few seconds.

When he opened the door, the tiny figure sitting in the corner stood up. It was farmer's younger daughter, now staring at him with her eyes wide open.

"Merle?" her voice was full of hesitation but he could also recognize a spark of hope.

Ya bet on the wrong horse lady, Merle thought as he noticed the bruises on her face and arms.

"What are you doing here?" Beth asked.

"I was just about to ask ya the same thing girl," Merle grumbled and stepped closer to her.

"The Governor kidnapped us from the prison. Me…," Beth stopped in the middle of her sentence and eyed Merle cautiously. She didn't know what exactly had happened in the prison but Daryl must have had a good damn reason to kick his brother out. It was more likely she was talking to their enemy rather than a friend. She bit her tongue, hoping she hadn't revealed too much already.

She looked at Merle again and gasped when she noticed his good hand. His ring finger and little finger were missing. The stumps were bandaged now, but the fingers had been obviously cut off not a long time ago.

Merle followed her look and grimaced wryly.

"Well, ya can't exactly turn yer back to Governor and then just come back and pretend nothin' happened. I did try though."

Before he realized what she was doing, Beth approached him, gently took his hand into hers and observed it more closely. She winced a pain as it was her fingers missing, not his. When she raised her head to meet his gaze, sadness was written all over her bruised young face.

"I'm sorry Merle."

He was staring down at her in disbelief and instinctively took an abrupt step back.

"What the hell?"

Beth felt sorry for the man. Her dad was talking about him as about tortured man and when she was looking to his eyes now, she knew what he'd meant.

There was no one else she could ask for help and Beth had just decided to give it a try. No matter how different from his younger brother Merle was, he could be their last and only chance.

"Merle, there are more of us…Carl, Carol, Andrea and Judith…can you help us?"

Merle shook his head. He wasn't sure if the girl was making fun of him or if she'd lost her mind somewhere throughout the beating.

"I don't give a fuck about your people kiddo! The only person I've ever fuckin' cared about was my baby brother and you took him from me!" he approached Beth again and grunted in satisfaction when he saw a panic in her face, "I bet yer officer friendly with his bunch of friends are comin' to get you soon and I can't wait to see him again. And I'm pretty sure I'll be able to talk some sense into my lil'bro this time."

Something in Beth's face made him stop. She dropped her eyes to her feet.

"Daryl's dead Merle. He was shot during the attack on the prison."

Merle just looked at her, open his mouth and then closed it again. He thought his brain stopped working for a while; he wasn't able to catch a single thought. He abruptly turned his back to the girl and strode to the door, which suddenly cracked open.

He stood face to face to Jones, one of the Governor's henchmen. He was already losing his belt, leaving no doubts about his intentions. He stopped dead in his tracks when he almost bumped into Merle.

"What the hell are you doing here Merle?"

Merle didn't have time to think.

"The same as ya asshole, but I was here first. So get the fuck out of here!"

Jones shifted his weight and the looked from Beth to Merle and back. Then he cursed and turned to leave.

When Merle was sure the door was closed, he went to Beth again. Her face was a mask of terror and she was instinctively shaking her head, holding her hands against Merle in a pathetic attempt of defense.

He grabbed her shirt and tore it in one swift movement. Beth yelped and desperately tried to cover herself.

"Scream," Merle ordered the girl. Beth started sobbing quietly, curling into a ball.

"Scream, goddamnit or I will help ya!" he hissed at her angrily before realizing that Beth didn't see the difference between him and Jones.

"For fuck's sake, I ain't gonna hurt ya, but these guys are still waitin' behind the door!"

It seemed that Beth understood and she uncovered her face.

"Why?"

"Yer old man was the only one who didn't treat me as a piece of shit in that rat hole. Dixon always pay off his debts," Merle shrugged, "and now scream!"

When Merle emerged from the door, Jones and one other man he didn't know were still there.

Merle grabbed the man by his shirt and pinned him against the wall, wincing when his injured hand shot a bolt of pain right down his spine.

"I'm coming for more. If any of you fuckers lay a finger on her, I'll kill ya, do ya understand me?"

* * *

It didn't take Merle long to find out, which cell they were keeping Carol in. He was shaking with anger when he entered the room.

he was little bit taken aback, when he saw her. It was no doubt who had taken the harshest beating. She tried to stand up when she saw him but her legs were so shaky that she had to give up.

She looked up to him, almost peaceful expression in her face. She knew he was coming to kill her, to finish what he'd started on the run, which seemed so long ago now. She was suddenly not afraid at all, almost welcoming death with open arms. She had fought too hard and for too long and she was tired now. And it even felt right to die by Dixon's hand as she was the one to cause his brother's death.

Merle almost ran to her, grabbing her by shoulders.

"You bitch! He would be alive if ya leave him be. He would be OK, but he is a fuckin' rotten corpse now because all of ya fuckin' idiots!"

Merle yelled into her face, he pulled her up roughly, trying to shake the life out of her tiny form.

Carol didn't move, didn't moan, she was just looking at him, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. Then it hit him. She mourned him. She mourned Daryl more than he would ever thought was possible. He saw it in her silent invitation, in her reconciled waiting for him to kill her so she could escape all this and be with him.

Merle let out a horrible groan, like a wounded animal and smashed her against the wall. She collapsed but didn't try to defend herself, she was just waiting.

Merle felt the tears stinging in the back of his eyes; he shook his head furiously and ran out of the door, leaving confused and hurt Carol behind.

* * *

**OK, I know you were all waiting for a reunion and I promise it's coming soon!:-)**


	23. New promises

**Hi guys! Just one more chapter, which I hope to upload soon, and Home sweet home will be over. It actually doesn't feel as good as I expected and it will be pretty hard to say goodbye to something, I've been thinking of nonstop for couple of weeks now.**

**However, thank you all so much for your kind reviews and encouragement, it was you who helped to create all this! I wrote the first few chapters just to blow off some steam and had no idea I could take it so far. But it wouldn't be possible without all of you. So please review, I'd love to hear your opinions!**

**PS: I will do my best not letting you wait for the last chapter for too long!**

* * *

Daryl gritted his teeth when he swung the crossbow over his shoulder and it accidently bumped into his injured side. Rick didn't miss it and frowned. Daryl refused to raise his head but he felt Rick's stare.

There was no way back. The whole group was waiting only for him and the frustration and fear for their loved ones was building up unbearably.

Rick felt bad for Daryl, he knew his friend hadn't fully recovered from the gunshot wound yet, but he couldn't wait any more. The Governor had kidnapped his children to make him come to Woodbury and meet him in the battle according to his own twisted rules. That was why he hoped he'd still kept them alive. But every day that passed meant greater risk. They couldn't be sure when the psycho would change his mind and kill them for no reason at all. It was a risk he could not take anymore.

* * *

Daryl pressed his forehead against cool car window and closed his eyes for a moment. Rick was driving; Daryl was sitting at the passenger seat and Michonne in the back. Glenn with Maggie were in the car behind them. They were all quiet, words seemed redundant and useless. Each of them was getting ready for what might have been waiting for them in Woodbury, preparing to meet their worst fears.

Daryl involuntary clenched his fists. He was surely worried for Carl, Lil'Asskicker, Beth and Andrea. But it was Carol's image, which was haunting him in his sleep. Her big blue eyes, full of sadness and pain, kept him awake in the middle of the night. They were full of regret and disappointment that he let her down again.

He kept rewinding the last memory of her in his head. Again and again he could see her searching for him in the blaze of Governor's attack. He could still feel the paralyzing fear that had jolted through his entire body when he'd spotted the walker behind her and Carl, and the relief when he'd taken him down. Then his world had exploded in the white blinding flash of pain.

He knew who the Governor would turn to if he needed to blow off some steam. Carl and Beth were still kids, not able to provide him the thrill the son of a bitch wanted, Judith was just a helpless baby and he'd already taken what he'd wanted from Andrea.

This left only Carol, and on top of that damn woman didn't know when to keep her sassy mouth shut. If the Governor had wanted to hurt or even kill somebody, it would have been her. Daryl tried to push the thought back and punched a metal door frame in frustration.

Daryl Dixon was anything but a religious man. But for the first time in his life, on this muddy and miserable road to Woodbury, he'd begged God for help.

Rick glanced at Daryl out of the corner of his eye. He knew his worst fears and couldn't help but admit they were justified. He'd met the Governor personally and knew what a sick psychopath the man was.

Rick wasn't quite sure what else was going on between Carol and Daryl apart from genuine friendship and deep respect, but from the way he'd reacted to her loss, he started to be afraid how Daryl would handle things if the worst came to the worst.

* * *

Michonne kept her word. She led them the long way around Woodbury barricades and they sneaked in on the furthest dimply lit end, unnoticed by young couple chatting happily on their watch on the top of the wall. They crouched down in the safe distance from the wall and Maggie sighed in relief.

"So far so good," she whispered enthusiastically.

"It's a fuckin' trap," Daryl cooled down her fervor harshly, "the son of a bitch's waitin' for us but it seems he ain't gonna have all the people involved."

Rick's face was serious when he nodded.

"Watch every step you take. Watch out for antipersonnel mines or any other traps. He's an insidious bastard."

Rick turned to Michonne.

"Do you have any idea where he could be holding them?"

Michonne shook her head: "They could be anywhere really, I can show you only the house we were staying in."

"He ain't stupid to hold them in the same room as he did with Glenn and Maggie," Daryl frowned, "let's start from the other end."

"We will check house by house. Glenn, Maggie, you two will go with Daryl, I'll go with Michonne. When you're done searching, we'll wait for each other outside. I don't want to have more than one house between us, OK? If…when you find them, don't do anything stupid, just go get the rest and we'll work out how to get them out of there unnoticed." He highly doubted they would escape unnoticed with the baby, but they would have to deal with it when the time came.

Rick cleared his throat.

"You know what you'll have to do if…," he didn't have to finish, they all knew. If they found them dead or dying, or even worse, if they found them already turned, eager to rip their flesh. Maggie with Glenn nodded, looking at each other and Michonne looked into Rick's eyes, agreeing silently.

"Daryl?" Rick demanded his understanding.

"We all know what we gotta do for fuckin'sake!" Daryl snapped back. He regretted it immediately and dropped his head. Rick had his two kids in there and it could be easily them, not only Carol, he was talking about.

"We gonna do what's gotta be done," he added in softer tone.

* * *

"They're here boss," Martinez reported, awaiting the orders.

The Governor nodded contentedly.

"Biters are ready?"

"Thirty of them, as you requested. Guys are ready to let them in."

"Wait for my order. The sheriff, Michonne and the guy with a crossbow are mine. You take care of the rest. And get Merle."

* * *

Daryl felt the shirt glued to his sweaty back. He wiped the hands on his trousers, gripping his crossbow tightly. He could hear Glenn and Maggie at the end of the corridor. It had been the fifth house they'd searched but still hadn't found anybody. The knot on his stomach was getting tighter and tighter and he didn't realize he was holding his breath in front of each door he opened.

He had to admit to himself that he didn't know what he would have done if he'd found Carol dying or turned. He doubted he would have been man enough to end it.

He knew it would have been a mercy killing and it wouldn't have been the first one, but Carol…the damn woman had turned his perfectly clear and understandable world upside down and just a thought of losing her made him so nauseous that he had to stop for a while and he leaned against the wall, running a hand over his face.

He wanted to hate her for this, for the shit she'd make him feel, for the fact that nothing in his world made sense anymore and for the blood-freezing fear that gripped his guts each time she'd ran into a danger. And God knew that with her fuckin' death wish he was on the edge of panic 24/7.

He tried to convince himself it couldn't have happened. Not after all the shit he'd been through, they both had, it couldn't have just ended like this. If they made it alive, he promised himself he wasn't going to waste another fuckin' minute and would stop constantly screwing things with her. She deserved the best and although he was miserable in that department, he would try to give it to her. He hoped she would let him. But if she'd had enough patience with him, when he'd been behaving like an idiot, there must have been some left if he tried to behave the way she deserved.

They have searched two more houses with no success. Rick's frustration was slowly climbing to the breaking point. Then they saw it. Smaller warehouse, squeezed between the houses. The small windows were boarded up and two guards were on the watch nearby. Daryl swallowed hard. This was it. Rick motioned the group to stay hidden and together with Daryl started creeping towards the guards. They got behind them and killed them both mercilessly. There was no time to think twice about it. These were the men who'd attacked them in the first place and almost killed him; men who'd participated in the kidnapping their friends, their family. Daryl thought of all this when he sank his knife into the man's skull.

Rick waved and the rest of their team was with them in the second. When they stepped into the warehouse, Daryl's breathing quickened. There had been several doors, several horrible options he had to check one by one before he would find out the truth. They kept the same formation as before and Rick with Michonne moved forward to check the doors on the further end, while Maggie and Glenn stayed with Daryl.

When Glenn opened the first door, all they found was old moldered furniture and two miserable walkers with some of their limbs cut off. They killed them off and moved to the second door. The second room was lit by poor light coming from blinking bulb at the ceiling. It was dim, cold and miserable place, thanks to the broken furniture very similar to the first room.

Daryl was about to leave the room and carry on searching when he caught a sight of negligible movement out of the corner of his eye. He took out his knife, certain it would be just another crippled walker. He motioned to Glenn and Maggie to stay behind him as he silently walked towards an overturned table, where he'd spotted the movement.

A soft moan made him freeze. He would have recognized that voice anywhere. His body switched to autopilot as he hurriedly put the knife into the sheath and tossed the table away. The sight shattered his heart in million pieces and glued it back together in one insane moment.

Carol was shielding her head with her arms, not ready to look up to find out who was coming for her this time. He could see the cuts and bruises all over her arms and he was afraid to find out what those bastards had done to her beautiful face. She was still protecting herself and started shivering. No matter how strong she was, he could she was totally drained. They'd made it just on time; she couldn't possibly take another harsh treating.

"Carol," his voice sounded strange even to himself, thick with emotions and relief.

Her head shot up and when he looked into her bright watery eyes, the relief hit his body with such strength that it almost buckled his knees.

Her mouth opened and closed again and she shook her head. She leaned against the wall and slowly got up. She gave him the sweetest happy smile and reached out for him. Then she collapsed. Daryl's reflexes threw his body towards her lifeless form and he caught her just before she hit the ground, tumbling down with her but somehow managing to protect her from the worst impact.

"What the hell? Carol…what the hell is goin'on?"

He ignored the throbbing pain in his side, desperately searching in her pale face for any reaction, getting none in return.

This must have been a fuckin' nightmare. He'd found her alive, hadn't he? Now they were supposed to get out of this hell and there was no time for this shit.

He was franticly checking her body for any bites or more serious injuries. She'd taken some nasty beatings, which would take some time to heal and she was exhausted to death, but it didn't explain why she would have collapsed like this.

"Daryl…Daryl…do you hear me?" he didn't notice until now than Glenn was talking to him.

He glanced up and blinked, trying to focus on younger man, gripping Carol in his arms.

"Carol thought you were dead…she saw you getting shot…she didn't know you made it," Glenn fell silent and Maggie stepped closer.

"She's in a horrible state and I think when she saw you, she thought she was hallucinating and I think…I think that her mind just shut down…"

Daryl glared at both of them hard.

"Didn't ya think it would be a good idea to tell me before, smartass? Poor woman survives this shit just to die of heart attack cause she thinks I'm a fuckin' ghost?" his voice was shaking with anger and Glenn with Maggie dropped their eyes to their feet in unison.

"Hand me the damn bottle of water," Daryl snapped, still pissed at young couple. He took out a red cloth from his pocket, wet it and started wiping Carol's face gently.

"Come on woman, wake up, we've got no time for this shit, need to get yer ass to safety," he mumbled quietly, patting her cheeks lightly.

Carol stirred and Daryl felt the weight lifting from his shoulders.

"That's it…come on, wake up Carol," he bent down and whispered to her ear, "I'm OK, I made it and came back for ya. Now I need ya to be all right too, so come on."

Her eyelids fluttered and soon he was staring into her blue eyes again. Carol left his words washing over her for another long moment.

He was alright, he was alive, and he was here. Her brain was fighting to accept this new information, but his worried face above her, his arms around her shoulders and his fingers gently stroking her face were strong arguments.

Before she could think of what she was doing, she sprung up and threw her arms around him, burying her face into his neck. It wasn't a dream. She could taste saltiness of his skin and she deeply inhaled his scent. The scent of the woods, the earth, leather and sweat; the scent of life.

Daryl could feel her hot tears on his neck and hugged here tightly, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I ain't never gonna let ya out of my sight again woman," he whispered into her ear, "ya belong with me and ya gotta put up with it."

The warmth spread out all over his body when he heard her chuckle.

Maggie with Glenn stared at the couple slack-jawed. The man who'd given them a piece of his mind just a while ago was now sitting on the floor with Carol in his arms, whispering sweet nonsense in her ear, both totally forgetting where they were.

But when they heard a groan behind them, they all quickly remembered. Glen with Maggie took out their knives and Daryl shot up, pulling Carol up with him.


	24. I will take you home

"Two walkers!" Glenn hissed almost in relief. The walkers had become smaller threat than living people these days. They swiftly took them down with Maggie and Glenn turned back to Daryl and Carol with a grin. He froze when he saw Daryl aiming his crossbow at them.

"Get down!" Daryl shouted, firing the crossbow just when Maggie grabbed Glenn by his shirt and yanked them both down, smart enough never to question Daryl Dixon's reasons. The bolt went through another walker's head and Daryl sprung forward sinking his knife into the walker behind the first one, who was reaching to grab Glenn.

"There are more! Shut the door!" Glenn was already by his side and helped him to push the door against other walkers who were trying to get in. They blocked the door by an old cupboard and looked at each other.

"It's a trap. They saw us walkin' in," Daryl said looking around the room. There was no other way out; they had to fight their way through. He hoped that Rick and Michonne were all right and they'd found the rest of their group as they'd found Carol.

It seemed that Glenn was reading his mind. Daryl loaded his crossbow.

"Save the ammo, shoot only if there's no other choice. We gotta find Rick, Michonne and the rest."

"Give me the knife," weak voice behind their backs requested. They all turned to Carol. She was white as a sheet and shaking with exhaustion.

"You can barely walk, you ain't gonna be much of a help," Daryl grunted, regretting the harsh words as soon as they left his mouth.

Carol looked directly into his eyes.

"I might not be much of a help, but if you leave me unarmed, I'll be just a burden. With a knife I can at least try to protect myself."

There was no doubt she was right. Daryl took out his hunting knife and handed it to Carol, brushing his fingers against hers.

"Just stay behind me OK? Don't leave my sight, I'll get us outta here."

She nodded and gave his hand a quick squeeze.

"I know you will."

"Ready?" Daryl asked Glenn, who had his hand on a doorknob. Maggie was standing behind Glenn and Carol behind Daryl.

"Stay in the room, try to kill as many as ya can in the doorway before they break in."

Glenn nodded and opened the door. Soon Daryl with Glenn lost the count of walkers; they were swinging their knives with lethal accuracy, leaving the minimum of walkers for women behind them.

Suddenly the baby wail pierced through the walkers' growling. Daryl felt Carol bumping into his back in instinctive attempt to get to the baby. He straightened up to hold her back.

"We need to get to her!" he felt Carol's fingers digging into his back.

"We will!" he looked at Glenn, who had spotted bigger wooden cupboard's door. Daryl nodded, understanding immediately. They took the door and using is as a shield against the biters, they pushed them out of the door, Maggie with Carol following them closely.

As soon as they were in the corridor, they tried to get their bearings. The corridor was full of smoke, walkers and people. Daryl reached behind his back and was relieved to find Carol there.

Maggie was the first one to locate Judith and she gasped when she saw one of the Governor's men holding her with a gun pointed at the baby. The man was standing with her back to Maggie and she saw Rick a few feet away from him, putting his gun on the floor and talking to the man with a desperate look on his face. Maggie didn't hesitate a second and ran towards the man. Carol watched the scene and leapt out from her place behind Daryl's back to cover Maggie up. Carol took down one walker, who was staggering towards Maggie from the right, but her shaky legs were not ready and she stumbled down as soon as she sank Daryl's knife into the biter's eye.

Maggie reached the man and jabbed her knife into man's skull to the hilt with a furious shout. By now Daryl with Glenn realized what was going on and Glenn hurried to Maggie, taking baby from dead man's arms just before he collapsed to the ground.

Carol sighed in relief and tried to scramble up to her legs when she felt a strong arm wrapping around her waist, yanking her up.

"I said stay BEHIND me woman, can ya listen to me just for once?"

She didn't know whether his voice sounded more desperate or angry.

"But…," she tried to explain.

"The end of fuckin' discussion," Daryl hissed.

All right, it sounded angry.

When Rick saw Judith was OK, he snatched his gun from the floor and crushed the head of the nearest walker.

They'd found them all. They were exhausted, bashed up and hungry, but they were alive. Rick looked at his son proudly. He stayed close to him, making sure nothing would happen to him, but despite his weariness, the boy was killing walkers with relentless expression in his face. They both ran to Judith and Rick quickly cuddled her against his chest before handing her to Carl and pushed both kids behind him, protecting them with his own body.

He saw Michonne watching over Andrea, who was still in a bad shape but she managed to walk. Maggie with Glenn were forcing their way to Beth and he saw Daryl picking up Carol from the ground and judging from the frown on his face, he was giving her a piece of his mind.

Rick felt the hope flooding his body with adrenaline. His family was together again. They just needed to get out of this hell. He worriedly looked around. With number of walkers and the Governor's men it wouldn't be easy thing to do.

* * *

The Governor was waiting. He had to admit he was impressed. The group from prison was skillful fighters, quickly fighting their way through the walkers as well as his men. But this was only a prologue. He just needed to wait until they were drained to get what's his.

He was watching Michonne. The bitch was going to pay for killing his daughter and for taking his eye. He would use Andrea to show her how it felt to lose somebody dear and then he would torture her till she begged for a mercy kill. The leader from the prison and his boy were going to end up exactly the same but he might have actually kept the baby.

And he was going to use Merle's younger brother to test Merle's loyalty. Merle had betrayed him once and he needed to be sure he wouldn't do it again, for nothing and for no one. Killing his own brother should have been a sufficient proof.

His eyes rested on Carol. There was something about the woman, something in her attitude, which turned him on. He might have had a bit of fun with her before he would send her after her friends.

It was the time to step in. They killed almost all of his men, but there were still enough walkers and they were losing their strength quickly. He didn't want them dead. Not yet at least. He switched off the camera and turned to Merle, who had just entered the room.

"I'll need you soon, come in when I call for you."

The Governor didn't wait for Merle's agreement, opened the door on the furthest end and entered the corridor with two of his most loyal men. The place was immersed in smoke, he heard the sounds of close battle and his hair bristled in excitement.

He hoped he wouldn't run into Michonne first, he wanted to save her for the last, like a special present just for him. He was lucky because right in front of him, with her back to him and not expecting any attack from behind, was Carol Peletier. She stood behind Merle's younger brother who was just loading his crossbow.

The Governor motioned his men to stay put and walked quietly towards the woman. When he grabbed her around her waist, she managed to cry out a warning, before he put his hand over her mouth.

The redneck jerked his head in her direction and what happened next was faster than a blink of an eye. Daryl dropped his crossbow, leapt at them, snatched her out of the Governor's grip, threw the tiny woman in the opposite direction and punched him hard in the face.

The Governor stumbled back, surprised by the ferocity of attack. His men were by his side immediately, pointing their guns at Daryl. The Governor ordered them to lower the guns and looked at the redneck carefully. Of course he should have expected this, the man was Merle's brother and Merle was one of the toughest and most unscrupulous men he'd ever met.

But still, the man in front of him seemed to be somehow different from Merle. The Governor clearly saw he was protecting the woman behind him, trapping her between the wall and his back, haunted expression in his eyes. He'd never seen Merle care about anybody but himself and the knowledge that his brother was different, rushed more adrenaline into his blood stream. It would be even greater fun than he'd expected.

"Well, I apologize for frightening you, it wasn't my intention," the Governor smiled apologetically and Carol stiffened behind Daryl's back. The tone of his voice, his exaggerated courtesy, gave her the creeps and she started shaking uncontrollably despite the heat radiating from Daryl's body.

"What if we settle this dispute ourselves old fashioned way, leaving the lady out of it?" the Governor smiled at Daryl.

"Will be my pleasure, you son of a bitch," Daryl hissed and took a step towards him, "as soon as your henchmen stop aimin' their fuckin' gun at us."

The Governor smiled again and motioned his men to put their guns away.

Daryl didn't want to attack first. He'd lost his moment of surprise and he needed to estimate his enemy first before starting the fight. He avoided the first blow from the Governor but he did the same with his. They were circling around each other for several long minutes, not able to do more than just slightly brush his rival.

Suddenly the Governor jumped at Daryl and when Daryl avoided the blow and raised his fist to strike, the Governor stepped aside and punched Daryl into his injured side with all his strength.

Daryl yelled in pain and dropped to his knees. His shirt was soaked in blood in a second as the Governor's punch tore the stitches. He heard Carol's shriek of fear behind him and he felt her hands on his shoulders. He knew he had to get up but he felt dizzy and the walls were spinning around him.

He saw the Governor talking to his men, not paying his attention to them for a while.

"Get outta here, go to Rick, warn them," he whispered to Carol, wincing in pain, "they ain't looking."

She pressed her hand against his wound and shook her head.

"I'm not leaving you behind, forget it."

"Damn woman, I came here to save yer ass, so do me a favor and do as ya are told," he said, angry now as he again tried to scramble up to his legs.

She took off her light sweater and pressed it against his wound, making him curse. She tied it around his waist and helped him to his feet.

"Go," he tried again, knowing what her answer would be.

She leaned to him with a sad smile and whispered to his ear: "I ain't ever gonna let ya out of my sight Dixon. You belong with me and ya gotta put up with it."

He winced at his own words being thrown into his face.

* * *

That was how Merle saw them. His younger brother leaning on the woman he'd intended to kill, the blood from his injury dripping on the floor.

He was alive; the relief washed over Merle's body, all grievances forgotten for a moment, when he saw his baby brother standing there. Daryl stared back at him, the shock evident in his face.

"Kill them. Kill her first. Then him." The Governor's command caught him unprepared. Merle slowly turned to him.

"You heard me Merle. Kill them, I need you to prove your loyalty, I need to know I can fully trust you again."

"You took my two fuckin' fingers and I still stayed. What other proof do ya need?" Merle replied.

"You know what you have to do Merle."

The Governor's voice was calm.

Merle looked at the blade attached to the stump of his hand and nodded. He didn't owe them anything. His brother had chosen a woman and the group from prison over him and kicked him out, sending him to a certain death. Family bonds had been broken and he had to look after himself first of all.

He walked to them and stopped. Daryl pushed Carol behind him again, his voice desperate.

"Don't do it, bro."

Merle reached for Carol and Daryl shoved him out of the way.

"Don't hurt her, not her Merle…leave her fuckin' out of it. If ya need to kill somebody, kill me, I'm the one who threw ya out."

"No!" Carol wanted to step out in front of Merle, but Daryl's hand held her in place.

"Don't ya dare woman," Daryl looked at her, his eyes pleading her, "it's between me and Merle."

Carol's eyes filled with tears, which started streaming down her cheeks as she shook her head.

"I can't…"

Merle watched their exchange in awe. His brother had made it. He'd managed to find something their father had said they would have never found. Not them, not two worthless pieces of shit they had been. Merle had believed him until now.

The woman was looking at his lil' brother with such love and affection he would have never believed was possible. His brother was never good with words, but the way he was shielding that tiny woman with his own body and offering his life in exchange for hers, said it all.

Despite the shitty life they had to put up with so far, his brother somehow managed to raise himself above it all. Merle felt the sting of pride and jealousy at the same time.

Suddenly Merle knew who owed who. He owed Daryl for leaving him behind as a child, for all that extra beating the kid had to suffer because his older brother had left him and their father had needed somebody for blowing off his steam. He owed Daryl for all those bar fights, which Merle had initiated and his brother had always stood by his side. He owed him for almost destroying the group and place he'd truly called his home, for the first time in his life. And more than anything he owed him for trying to kill the only woman in his life, who loved him just as he was. The only woman that could make him happy.

Merle smiled when he turned back to the Governor and then three things happened at the same time. Merle suddenly lunged himself at the Governor and stabbed him with his blade, both of them falling to the ground. One of the Governor's men shot at Merle, while Daryl with Carol threw themselves at them, killing them with their knives when they were focused on Merle and the Governor.

Merle and the Governor were fighting in chaotic tangle, grunting and shouting. Finally Merle pushed Governor's motionless body off him and looked up at Daryl and Carol with a wide grin.

"Fuck, it feels so good to finally kill that son of a bitch!" Merle choked and spat out some blood.

"Time for ya to go lil' brother, fight ain't over yet and yer people need help."

Daryl shook his head and knelt down beside his brother.

"You're goin' with us."

Merle smirked:

"I don't think so, baby brother. Son of a bitch had a good shot, ain't gonna take long now."

With that Merle lifted his hand and Daryl saw an angry bullet hole in the right side of Merle's chest. Daryl gasped and the room started spinning around him again. Merle's face looked almost peaceful.

"I'm so sorry Merle, I'm so sorry for everything…." Daryl tried to hold his sobs building in his chest and wiped his eyes angrily. He grabbed his brother's hand.

Merle chuckled again and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"It's me who is sorry lil' brother. I was shitty brother to ya but ya have got everything ya need now," Merle's voice weaker now, "look at ya...you've got the woman who loves ya and she doesn't give a fuck that you are a jerk."

Merle chuckled, amused by his own joke.

"You've got people who like ya, you've got a home. I'm really proud of ya lil' brother, don't screw it up, OK?"

"I won't," Daryl's voice croaked.

"Stop whimpering like a baby, take yer woman and get outta here quick. I guess she's forgiven ol' Merle by now too?" Merle winced at Carol, who was now kneeling by Daryl's side, tears streaming down her face. She nodded and squeezed Merle's hand.

"Good," Merle smiled, "now give me that fuckin' gun and get out of here, ain't gonna repeat it."

* * *

The fight was almost over. There were five more walkers that Rick, Michonne and Glenn were finishing off and two Governor's men gave up.

When a single gunshot echoed in the corridor, they all jumped. Everybody apart from Daryl and Carol. Rick looked at them with concern, taking into notice Daryl's bleeding side and his absent, painful expression, but Carol just shook her head. There was no time or space for questions.

They all walked out and froze when they faced another small army, pointing the guns directly at them. They didn't seem to be as organized as men who attacked them in the warehouse, but they were still armed and dangerous.

Rick recognized in their leader Martinez, the Governor's henchmen, he'd taken to negotiation.

"Shoot!"

His command was followed by silence, accompanied by embarrassed coughing and whispering. Rick's surmise was confirmed. These were chosen people from Woodbury, able to fight walkers, but luckily for them still reluctant to shoot into living people.

Martinez turned to his soldiers, shaking with anger.

"Shoot you idiots! They just killed our people!"

When he was faced with the wall of silence again, he pulled his own gun and fired. Two gunshots vibrated through the night air and two bodies hit the ground.

"No!" Michonne cried out, lunging towards the group with her katana ready to kill. She was stopped by Rick, who grabbed her and slammed her arms to her sides. They all watched in horror the blood stain, which was quickly spreading all over Andrea's shirt.

Carol sobbed and knelt to her friend, checking for a pulse and started crying harder, when she found none. Michonne broke free from Rick' grip and suddenly stood face to face with a large black man.

"Stop this madness otherwise we are going to kill each other!"

Michonne could not believe he was standing there unarmed. Carol looked up and recognized the man, who had found his way into the prison with his group but they had been driven out by Rick a few days later.

"You lost people, we lost people," man continued, glancing at Martinez's body, "we let horrible things to happen and we need to call it even if we want to live next to each other. Take your people and leave."

He was looking directly at Rick now. Rick turned to his family and friends. Michonne was kneeling at Andrea's side, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. Beth was holding Judith, her and Carl supporting each other. Glenn and Maggie supported Carol. Daryl was shakily standing on his own legs, pressing his hand to his bleeding wound.

Rick turned to Tyreese, new leader of Woodbury, and nodded. It was time to go home.

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**I hope you enjoyed it and I didn't disappoint your expectations! I wanted this to be the last chapter but decided to add one more..I think they deserve a bit of peace and fluff, don't you think?:-)**


	25. Finally home

**Hi Guys! So this is it - here comes the final chapter of my first but not last story. I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart, I would have never got that far without you. You have encouraged me to keep trying and keep writing and it has been an incredible journey! Reviewers, followers, readers...thank you!**

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It was a quiet ride home. Tyreese agreed to lend them the cars, which they agreed to leave halfway between the prison and Woodbury, when they reached their own vehicles.

There were no loud displays of longed reunion, just hugs and silent tears of relief. Exhaustion and sadness had fallen on the group heavily, all of them painfully aware of two bodies wrapped in dirty sheets on the car deck.

Andrea hadn't been with them in the prison, but she'd been the part of their group from the very beginning and her pointless death made Rick to grit his teeth.

He should have expected it; he should have known they had been waiting outside. He grieved Andrea's death but he was afraid for Michonne no less. She was devastated, not talking, not looking at anybody. She'd insisted she would have stayed on the car deck with the bodies and one she'd got on, she hadn't moved an inch, silent statue of grief and despair. Rick knew firsthand what a grief for the loved one could do to a person, how thin the border between rationality and madness was.

Rick had been shocked to find out it was Merle, who had saved Daryl and Carol and had killed the Governor. The man had been trying to manipulate and destroy almost everything and everyone within his reach but he'd seemed to find his redemption at the end. Merle had done some horrible deeds but the love for his brother had outweighed it all. Therefore Rick hadn't hesitate a second when Carol had asked him to bury Merle among their people.

Rick looked into a rear-view mirror at Daryl and Carol, who were sitting in the back with Beth and the baby. Carol was half asleep, leaning against Daryl who had one arm protectively around her shoulders but he seemed miles away, staring out of the window.

"How's your side?"

Daryl didn't hear his question and Rick cleared his throat to catch his attention.

"Daryl?"

Daryl didn't tear his eyes off the passing landscape.

"It's fine."

Rick sighed and focused on driving.

By the time they reached the prison, it was already getting dark. Hershel was impatiently waiting at the gate. They stopped the cars and Glenn got out to help him with the gate, taken aback a little when older man pulled him into a fierce embrace. When the gate was closed and they one by one got out of the cars, Beth and Maggie ran to their father.

Rick had never seen to cry the old man so hard. Hershel had always been their voice of reason, the beacon of humanity whenever they had been tempted to take a wrong path, calm and balanced father and mentor. Watching him to walk from one to another, not believing they were all alive, hugging them and thanking God, made Rick realize how close call it had been. Rick looked at Judith he was holding on his arm, while the other one was wrapped around Carl's shoulders, and felt his own tears wetting his cheeks.

Rick watched Hershel approaching Michonne, who was still motionlessly sitting on the deck beside Andrea's body, staring into the woods. He saw Herschel dropping his head, touching Michonne's arm lightly. She didn't look at him, sprung out and disappeared in the prison.

Hershel's eyebrows cocked in surprise when he identified the second body and he looked towards the car, where Daryl with Carol were still sitting. Carol was fast asleep and Daryl was trying to figure out how to get her to prison without waking her up. He didn't trust his wobbly legs and his side hurt like hell. The last thing he wanted to do was to drop her on the ground and add to her pain and injuries.

"How are you son?" Hershel's voice disrupted Daryl from his thoughts.

He turned his tired face to the old man.

"Just peachy," Daryl growled, looking down at Carol, "could ya ask Rick or Glenn to help me to get her inside? Don't wanna wake her up, she'd been through hell."

Hershel noticed that his shirt was soaked in blood.

"You didn't seem to have a blast either…I'll check on Carol, but I want to see you next. I need to patch you up again before you pass out from a blood loss."

Carol was sitting awake on Hershel's bed when Daryl came in. He glanced at her quickly, nodded shortly and turned his eyes away, sitting on the chair Hershel pulled out for him. Carol felt panic rising in her throat. Something was off, she could feel it. When the imminent danger passed, Daryl pulled away from her.

Daryl rolled up his shirt and Carol gasped. He looked at her but his eyes darted away quickly. His injury looked terrible. The stiches were torn out and nasty gash was still bleeding. She reacted on instinct, grabbing the gauze Hershel had prepared on the table and started cleaning his wound. She gripped his shoulder and she wasn' t sure whether it was to restraint him from moving or support herself. He hissed at the contact of his broken skin with disinfection but didn' t say a word as he stared on the floor.

Carol was wondering how she was supposed to act around him. They kissed before the hell had broken out, but what did it mean to him? Did he want to continue? Did he want to ignore it? Did it actually mean anything at all to him? Just a couple of days ago, she would have sworn it had meant to him as much as it had meant to her but she wasn't so sure anymore.

Or was it Merle' s death that made him so reclusive again? Did he think that he wasn't worth his brother' s sacrifice? That she wasn't worth it? Did he blame her? Sure, he'd come for her all the way to Woodbury and saved her, but she knew he would have done it for any member of their group. She felt her eyes tearing up and blinked quickly and to push the tears away. Her heart ached. All she wanted was to wrap herself around him and never let go. Her memories of him, no matter how painful they had been, had somehow kept her alive in Woodbury and now she was touching him but the distance between them seemed insurmountable.

She looked at Hershel, who held out a sewing kit but she shook her head. Her hands were trembling and she was exhausted to death, she didn't trust herself to do it properly. She finished cleaning up his wound and ran her fingers gently across his arm. She noticed he shivered but didn't look up to meet her eyes. She sighed and walked out of Hershel's cell, feeling his eyes burning holes into her back.

She laid on her bunk and desperately waited for sleep to come and shut her thoughts, which were causing her even greater headache. She heard his footsteps leading to his cell, stopping there for a while and then heading out again, hesitating slightly in front of her cell. She sprung to her feet as quickly as her sore body allowed and her heart stopped when she saw him dressed, with his crossbow across his shoulder, ready to go hunting.

"Where…? Why…?" she was trying hard to put a sensible sentence together, but the fear that gripped her heart was overwhelming and it swept her rhetorical skills away.

"Don't go," she managed to breathe out quietly.

Daryl's eyes softened when he saw how terrified she was. He wanted to reach out and put his arms around her to assure her that everything would be all right, but his worn out brain didn' t seem to be strong enough to send the signals to his arms.

"I'm gonna be back soon. Just need to clear my head, 's all," he said, locking his eyes with hers.

Daryl wasn't back for his brother's funeral and Carol thought it was probably better that way. It was awkward to say something nice about the man who had hurt some of them so much. Carol took the responsibility for this because despite all Merle's cruel deeds, she'd owed him for her and Daryl's life. The only moment when she regretted Daryl wasn't there was when Beth stepped out and told them what Merle had done for her in Woodbury. Daryl deserved to hear that his brother had helped somebody else as well and she was going to make sure Beth would tell him when he came back.

Daryl was gone for two days. Carol knew that "soon" was very flexible word in Dixon's vocabulary but it didn't help her to feel any better. They needed to talk, they needed to figure out what to do next and the uncertainty was eating her from inside.

Carol wasn't quite sure what she would have done if Daryl had turned her down and called this fragile and new relation between them a mistake. Mere thought of such outcome made her head spin. She knew there was no help for her if this would have happened. She had been lost the moment she had watched Daryl's body hitting the ground during the Governor's attack. The heaviness of this memory made her trembles all over again. It was in that particular moment, when she'd realized what she'd lost. Not just a friend, not just a protector or her secret love. She'd been convinced she'd lost herself. Her last and only true chance for real happiness, the only person she wanted and needed to live for.

When he'd come for her to Woodbury and she'd realized he hadn't been an illusion created by her tortured mind, her life had been revived in one powerful moment when she'd woken up staring right into his worried eyes. Only she hadn't owned her life anymore. It'd belonged to him, whether he'd asked or not.

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard a sound of familiar footsteps on the stairs. Carol sat up on the bed, impatiently watching the entrance of her cell. She had no strength to get up and meet him; she just hoped he would come to see her. Just as her hope started to falter, Daryl showed up and stopped in the doorway to look at her. He was barefoot, dressed in clean shirt and pair of pants she'd left in his cell. The water was dripping from his wet hair.

They didn't say anything for what seemed to be an eternity, soft moonlight illuminating his form. He shifted his weight hesitantly and she gave him a small shy smile. This did it for him. Suddenly he was in her cell and dropping to his knees, he pressed his face into her lap and he put his arms around her waist tightly.

Carol sighed in relief and the sob she didn't know she was holding found the way to her lips, when she buried her fingers into his wet hair, inhaling the scent of cheap soap he'd found on his last run.

"I'm sorry," she heard him murmur into her lap.

She was still overwhelmed by his closeness so she wasn't sure if she'd heard him right.

"What for?" she asked quietly, running her fingers through his hair, gently massaging his skull.

She felt him tightening his grip on her waist.

"For lettin' the son of bitch hurt ya, for not getting' to ya sooner, for leavin' ya again…"

Carol started shaking her head and tried to stop him but he didn't let her as he continued in his quiet apologies.

"I' m sorry for not treatin' ya right, for wastin' all that time thinkin' we've got plenty left."

Carol could feel on her thighs the heat radiating from his face. She didn't even realize she was crying, when she leaned to him and kissed him into his hair. She wished somebody pinched her so she could be sure she wasn't dreaming.

Her heart was beating hard against her chest when he lifted his head and looked into her eyes.

"I'm a mess Carol, but I promised him I'm not gonna screw this up…and I really wanna try hard…for ya, for us, if ya let me…"

His eyes were almost pleading but the confusion clouded his face when he saw her crying. She smiled through her tears and she turned to give a small kiss into his palm as his hands were gently exploring her face now.

"It's not gonna be easy with me, I'm warnin' ya woman…," Daryl looked at her sheepishly, "ya know that better than anyone."

Carol nodded and smiled: "I'm willing to take my chances."

Daryl grinned up at her.

"And we've got plenty of time left…I will give you hard time as well you know?" she whispered into his ear.

His smile widened and he got up from his knees. When he leaned to her for a kiss, she met him halfway, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her brain switched off, letting her body and instincts to do the work, eager for every touch. She surprised herself how bold she was and how much she wanted him. Daryl groaned into her mouth and moved farther on the bed trapping her under him, struggling for dominance and winning when she slowly melted under him. They knew there would be time for gentle and slow love making, but it was not tonight. They had been too close to death, too close to losing each other to waste another moment. They wanted everything and they wanted it now.

Carol woke up with first rays of light peeking into their cell. She let her eyes closed for a few extra moments, savouring the warmth of the body next to her. Daryl was sound asleep, lying on his side with one arm thrown over her belly. She kissed him gently on his eyebrow but he didn't even stir. The blanket was down to his knees and she couldn't help but stare again on his beautifully shaped body and her cheeks turned bright red, when she remembered how perfectly they'd fit together.

Suddenly she heard the footsteps on the stairs and threw a blanket over Daryl just in time to see Rick peeping into her cell.

"Carol, haven't you seen D…oh sorry," Rick stopped in the middle of his sentence, raising his eyebrows in surprise when he spotted sound asleep Daryl next to very naked Carol, who was clutching a blanket against her chest, cheeks burning . Rick quickly regained his composure but the huge grin was spreading across his face.

He shook his head in amusement.

"You know Carol…if somebody had told me back at the quarry that it would have been you, who would have worn out this angry redneck one day, I would have thought that the person had gone mad."

"Mind your own business, smartass," Daryl grumbled, opening one eye lazily and yawning.

Rick laughed and turned to leave.

"Enjoy the day guys. There's not much to do today, just take some rest," he smirked on the way out.

Daryl stretched and when Carol tried to climb over him, he pulled her down into a warm embrace.

"Where do ya think ya're goin' woman?"

"Just want to help Beth with breakfast," Carol replied but made no attempt to pull out of his arms.

He ran his fingers up to her spine and smirked when he saw her shiver.

"Ya heard Rick, there's no reason to hurry. We are at home."


End file.
